DillonThieneman

Thieneman is an explosive and hard-hitting do-it-all safety with incredible instincts and high-end ball production. A three-year starter who played for two years at Purdue before transferring to Oregon in 2025, he racked up 96 combined tackles, including 3.5 for loss, along with one sack, two picks, and five passes defensed in his last season for the Ducks. Thieneman flashes excellent instincts at the second level; he reads the quarterback’s eyes and deciphers blocking schemes or route combinations almost instantly, anticipating where the ball is going to put himself in position and make the play. He triggers downhill in a blink, flying in aggressively against the run. He sifts through the trash to avoid blocks and arrive at the ballcarrier, juking and strafing around blockers to arrive at his target with momentum. He identifies screens quickly and homes in on the ball before blocks get set up, blowing up the play’s design. He shows good range to string runs out to the sideline and the speed to make plays all across the field. He’s a fundamental tackler who comes in low, wraps the running back up, and brings him down. Thieneman is explosive as a blitzer, with the acceleration and closing speed to either flush the quarterback from the pocket or bring him down. In coverage, he flashes the ability to carry a tight end up the seam, attaching himself to their hip and staying there throughout the play. He has a knack for getting into passing lanes, as evidenced by his eight career interceptions.  

Thieneman can be tight hipped and stiff in man coverage. There were times when he allowed separation when marking receivers over the slot. He may lack the twitchy change of direction in his backpedal needed to play regularly in single-high looks. He occasionally takes bad angles and loses his leverage.