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Bears Draft Safety Dillon Thieneman, A-Grade No. 25 Pick

4/24/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Bears chose safety Dillon Thieneman with the No. 25 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, filling a need after losing Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker and pairing him with Coby Bryant.
He was an All-American at Oregon, recorded 92 tackles and two interceptions, and ran a 4.35-second 40-yard dash at the Combine.
NFL.com and USA Today gave the pick an A-grade, calling it high-value and made without a trade.

History

Historical Context

In 1992 the Dallas Cowboys used the 37th overall pick—acquired from the Herschel Walker trade—to draft safety Darren Woodson, who became a three-Super Bowl starter and retired as the franchise’s all-time leader with 1,350 tackles. The 2026 Chicago Bears echo that strategy by selecting safety Dillon Thieneman with the No. 25 pick to rebuild their secondary.

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Story summary

Bears chose safety Dillon Thieneman with the No. 25 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, filling a need after losing Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker and pairing him with Coby Bryant.
He was an All-American at Oregon, recorded 92 tackles and two interceptions, and ran a 4.35-second 40-yard dash at the Combine.
NFL.com and USA Today gave the pick an A-grade, calling it high-value and made without a trade.

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