Who is Dillon Thieneman? What to know about Bears’ first-round draft pick

The Bears selected Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman 25th overall in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, but what should you know about the newest member of the Chicago team?

He is the first defensive player taken in the first round by Chicago since linebacker Roquan Smith in 2018 and the first safety since 1990.

Playing for the Bears will mark a return to Thieneman’s Midwest roots.

Having grown up in Indiana in a suburb of Indianapolis and played at Purdue before heading to Oregon, Thieneman is no stranger to the Chicago area.

He is the youngest sibling of a football family. His two older brothers also played football at Purdue. Even his father went to the university.

With football being a family affair, Thieneman started his career at a young age.

“His older brothers showed him the path and showed him the way. You know, there’s grit and perseverance and this kid started grinding at a very young age,” his father Ken Thieneman said after the pick was announced. “He saw his two older brothers doing the same thing and he just wanted to be following in their footsteps. What a special moment for him.”

“We were just excited for him, you know? He’s had this… it’s a lifelong goal since he was a young kid. We were throwing football in the backyard. We always had high hopes that he was going to live up to something as high as this,” his brother Brennan Thieneman said. “We’re just really happy for him that he’s made it and turned his dreams into reality.”

Thieneman was first-team All-Big Ten in his lone season at Oregon with 95 tackles and two interceptions. He played two years at Purdue and was honorable mention all-conference in 2024.

Thieneman broke out as a freshman at Purdue with six picks. His tackling numbers remained consistent as a sophomore but didn’t force as many turnovers.

He took the chance to move to Oregon as a junior for more exposure and tougher opponents, which worked out. He also tested extremely well at the scouting combine, so Chicago is landing an exciting defensive back if it pans out.

In his college career, Thieneman ranked third among defensive backs in all of college football.

NBC Chicago sports anchor Lou Cannelis noted Thieneman has “NFL size, speed” and “he’s rangey.”

“Should be a starter quickly, could hold onto the position for a long time as well,” Cannelis said.

Purdue University described him as “the kid next door who cuts your lawn, shovels your driveway and bags your groceries. He is also really good at football.”

“Never knew what kind of path I was going to take,” Thieneman said. “Started at Purdue, ended at Oregon, but just extremely thankful to everyone that’s been with me throughout the way.”

Thieneman joins a team trying to build on a breakthrough year, but his selection in Chicago comes as a surprise as he was expected to be selected earlier in the first round.

“I hadn’t talked to [the Bears] too much, but I knew that they had a lot of interest in me… I know a little bit about the Bears’ history. I grew up not too far away from Chicago. I know a decent amount there,” he said after being picked.

The Bears went 11-6 and captured the NFC North championship for the first time since 2018 in coach Ben Johnson’s first season. Quarterback Caleb Williams, the No. 1 pick in 2024, made big strides in his second year. Chicago advanced in the playoffs for the first time since the 2010 season, beating the rival Green Bay Packers in a wild-card game before losing an overtime thriller to the Los Angeles Rams in the divisional round.