Projected Rd. 2 Pick Could Be Vikings' Ideal Harrison Smith Replacement

At some point in the next couple months, there's a good chance legendary Vikings safety Harrison Smith will officially announce his retirement after 14 seasons. It's not a sure thing — maybe Smith ends up with the itch to play one more year, especially if Brian Flores is back — but after his emotional Week 18 sendoff at U.S. Bank Stadium, this might finally be the end for the Hitman.

That would leave the Vikings in need of a safety, even if they feel decent about the trio of Josh Metellus, Theo Jackson, and Jay Ward. That's why the offseason exists. And in this year's draft, there's a projected second-round pick who makes all kinds of sense as a potential Smith replacement in Minnesota: Oregon's Dillon Thieneman.

Thieneman is 49th on PFF's current big board. The Vikings happen to hold the 50th overall pick. 18th overall would probably be too high to take him, but if he makes it to Minnesota's slot in the second round, the fit might be a perfect one.

A three-star recruit out of Indiana in 2023, Thieneman began his college career at Purdue and was an instant success story on a bad team. As a true freshman, he was PFF's highest-graded safety in the nation at 89.5. He recorded 106 tackles, 6 interceptions, and 2 forced fumbles. His grade dipped slightly in 2024, but he recorded another 100 tackles, including 4.5 for loss.

Dillon Thieneman at Purdue | Mark Hoffman/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

After that season, Thieneman entered the transfer portal and signed with Oregon. That decision worked out quite well. He bounced back in a big way and earned a 91.0 PFF grade, the second-best mark in the country among safeties. Thieneman had 96 tackles and a couple interceptions this past season on an Oregon team that reached the national semifinals.

Listed at 6 feet tall and 205 pounds, Thieneman is a versatile safety who can line up all over the field and has a nose for the football. He'll trigger downhill aggressively in run defense, where he's a strong tackler (albeit one who could take better pursuit angles at times). In pass coverage, he uses his instincts and burst to fly around and make plays. Thieneman plays with a nonstop motor and reportedly has quite the work ethic off of the field. It'll be interesting to see how he tests at the combine.

I've been a fan of Oregon SAF Dillon Thieneman since his freshman season at Purdue

High-IQ player who processes quickly, triggers downhill with confidence in the run game and a good feel for coverage in both zone and man. Combine will be big for him to sort out his ultimate… pic.twitter.com/kSH6AjVBJM
— Steve Letizia (@CFCBears) January 15, 2026

After Ohio State's Caleb Downs, who is a likely top-10 pick, there might not be another safety taken until the second round. Thieneman will be in that mix. So will Toledo's Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, who was the only FBS safety with a better PFF grade in 2025. McNeil-Warren could be another strong option for the Vikings at pick 50 (though he may not make it that far). The same can be said of LSU's A.J. Haulcy and USC's Kamari Ramsey.

If Smith does end up retiring — or perhaps even if he doesn't — safety will definitely be a position to watch for the Vikings in the second round of April's draft.

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