Chicago Bears knew all along that Dillon Thieneman was their guy

The Chicago Bears had a big decision to make on who to select at No. 25 in the 2026 NFL Draft. They needed to address holes at safety and both the offensive and defensive lines. However, the front office was already sold on Dillon Thieneman early on.

He began his collegiate career with the Purdue Boilermakers and played for the program for two seasons. Thieneman entered the transfer portal and joined the Oregon Ducks in 2025. The 21-year-old safety had a strong campaign and earned first-team All-American honors for his efforts.

Thieneman is expected to play a big role for the Bears in 2026. He will likely play opposite Coby Bryant and disrupt passes from opposing quarterbacks. His coverage will be key in providing the offense with more possessions to try to score.

Chicago Bears: Front office and scouts’ No. 1 option was Dillon Thieneman

The Bears’ front office and scouting team were impressed by Thieneman. The team uploaded a video on YouTube on Tuesday showing scouts Brendan Rehor and Francis Saint Paul, along with head coach Ben Johnson, speaking highly about him during the NFL Combine.

It is clear that the scouts knew all along that Thieneman was their guy. 

Rehor, the team’s national scout, highlighted Thieneman’s demeanor and how he competed on the field.

“The kid was intense,” Rehor said. “He was passionate. He was, like, you could tell he was super competitive and driven just talking through the ball. And then on top of that, you watch the tape, this guy’s coming down hitting people, like, he’s flying around. Like, you said it best, it’s one speed. And that’s all he knows.”

Meanwhile, Saint Paul, the assistant director of college scouting, shared his experiences from his visit to Purdue in 2023.

“I went to Purdue when he was there as a freshman,” Saint Paul said. “You know, I’m asking about their seniors, (and) they keep bringing up this freshman, ‘Hey, in a couple of years, we have this guy.’ That’s where you know.”

.@DillonThieneman caught our eye early on

Tap in to a new episode of #1920FootballDr ️

— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) May 27, 2026

Expectations are high on Thieneman, but he has shown that he can be an impact player. The future looks bright for him in the NFL, and he’s arguably with the best team that can maximize his potential.

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