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Oregon newcomer Dillon Thieneman tabbed by ESPN as ‘under-the-radar’ prospect for 2026 NFL Draft
By Paul Harvey
Published:
Oregon landed a key defensive piece for the 2025 season in the form of former Purdue safety Dillon Thieneman in the transfer portal. Now, Thieneman is looking to build his stock for the 2026 NFL Draft as a part of the defense under Dan Lanning.
As a freshman in 2023, Thieneman was an impact performer for the Boilermakers, registering 106 tackles and recording 6 interceptions, tying for the 2nd-most picks in the entire country. This past season, Thieneman followed up that with 104 tackles and 7 pass breakups, though he failed to record an interception with opposing offenses avoiding his coverage on a regular basis.
According to ESPN’s Matt Miller, Thieneman has a chance to become a household name in the scheme employed by Oregon. One scout even labeled Thieneman as a potential first-round talent:
“When you look at football IQ, versatility, speed and range, he has it all. Safeties always seem to fall in the draft, but he has first-round tools,” an AFC West area scout said.
Thieneman has certainly been among the most productive safeties in the country each of the past 2 seasons. He also has the versatility to play either safety spot and line up as a nickel corner.
After playing on a Purdue squad that won a combined 5 games the past 2 seasons, Thieneman should serve as an anchor for a Ducks team that is expected to be among the best in the entire country. If that happens, the star safety should see his stock for the NFL Draft skyrocket.
Paul is a lifelong fan and student of all things college football. He has been covering college football since 2017 and the B1G since 2018.