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EUGENE, OREGON - MARCH 17: Dillon Thieneman #31 of the Oregon Ducks looks on during Oregon Ducks Pro Day at Moshofsky Center on March 17, 2026 in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images)

The consensus around the league raved over the Chicago Bears’ decision to take Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.

The Athletic gave the pick an A+, Bleacher Report gave the pick an A, and ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller believed Thieneman was not only an excellent selection, but the best one in the first round.

“No one thought Thieneman would get past the Vikings at No. 18, but he slipped and the Bears were smart to select him to be the new free safety next to enforcer Coby Bryant,” Miller wrote. “The Bears have legitimate Super Bowl hopes, and Thieneman’s versatility and alignment flexibility are perfect for what coordinator Dennis Allen wants to do defensively.”

Contrary to what Miller said, Thieneman actually lined up primarily at strong safety during the first day of practice, but noted that the Bears’ coaching staff expects him to know what to do at free safety as well and will eventually get some reps at FS as well.

Bears’ Ben Johnson Sent a Message on Dillon Thieneman

With everyone raving about Dillon Thieneman, Johnson is only adding to the praise, saying he believes that his violent intentions make him stand out more than just his versatility.

“He’s very versatile. He can play down, he can play the post. Oregon played him as more of the Tampa middle read player quite a bit, which showcased his playmaking ability. He has a nose for the football. The thing you see is that when the ball is in the air, he’s got fantastic acceleration to get to that catch point. When he gets there, he arrives with some violent intentions. That, to me, is what stands out the most about him.”

If the Bears are going to use a first-round pick on a non-premium position like safety, best believe it’ll be for someone dynamic like Thieneman. After having his first practice as a Chicago Bear, Thieneman shared his thoughts.

“Been waiting for this moment for a while, so to get out there, it’s cool. … You get kind of nervous before you get out there on the field, and then you get out there and you’re like, I’m just playing football again, and we’re like we’re in the NFL right now, so that’s awesome.”

Thieneman’s Speed Already Standing Out at Rookie Minicamp

Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic noted that Dillon Thieneman’s speed is already standing out on the first day of rookie minicamp.

“I was thinking, watching Dillon Thieneman, there was a play…it was a little checkdown over the middle, and you can see Thieneman, just that burst to the player, and you think about the speed and the athleticism, obviously they can’t hit out here, but that was one of his calling cards too in college was hitting. So you’re kind of in your mind, you’re picturing what that would’ve looked like, and he came down like a missile from his center field position.”

And yes, Thieneman knows he’s fast.

“I feel like speed is very interesting because there’s normal speed and then there’s game-play speed,” he said. “The more you can process and recognize, the faster you can play in game closer to your speed.”

The hope is that speed will translate into takeaways and splash plays during his rookie season.