TribLive is highlighting the top prospects leading up to the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh. The three-day event is April 23-25.

Dillon Thieneman

Position: Safety

Height/weight: 6 foot/201 pounds

College: Oregon

Thieneman has three years of strong on-field production for scouts to study.

The 21-year-old made more than 300 career tackles as a three-year starter. He also flashed the speed teams are looking for in a first rounder, having run the 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine in 4.35 seconds.

Thieneman played his first two seasons at Purdue before transferring to Oregon. He had 96 tackles, five pass breakups and two interceptions last season for the Ducks to earn second-team All-American honors.

At Purdue, he made 104 tackles as a sophomore and 106 tackles and six interceptions as a freshman.

Draft analyst Lance Zierlein described Thieneman as an “instinctive, rangy safety” in his NFL.com profile, who has the football IQ to be “an extension of his defensive coordinator.”

Thieneman started 39 career games.

He earned a 91.0 overall grade from Pro Football Focus that ranked second nationally among all FBS safeties. His 91.1 coverage grade also ranked second.

Zierlein noted that Thieneman isn’t a “big thumper” near the line but shows “relentless pursuit” as a tackler.

Key stat

3.95 — Grade point average earned by Thieneman, an Academic All-American last season. He was one of three likely first-round picks on the first team, joining Alabama offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor and Ohio State receiver Carnell Tate.

Did you know?

Thieneman made the clinching interception in the second overtime when Oregon defeated Penn State, 30-24, in a matchup of top 10 teams last September.

On draft

Here is a look at where the top NFL Draft analysts rank Thieneman among players at his position and prospects overall:

Draft expert — Safety/Overall

Mel Kiper Jr. — second/22nd

Daniel Jeremiah — third/17th

Todd McShay — second/21st

Field Yates — second/19th

Quotable

“He is super, super explosive. … He trusts his eyes, flat-footed reads, great angles, excellent tackler.”

— NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah