LAKE FOREST, Ill. (104.3 The Score) – The Bears selected Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman with the No. 25 overall pick in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft on Thursday evening.
Thieneman, 21, was a first-team All-American at Oregon last season, when he posted 92 tackles, two interceptions and one sack. Thieneman spent his first two collegiate seasons at Purdue, logging 210 tackles and six interceptions with the Boilermakers. He’s an Indianapolis-area native.
Thieneman’s addition will give the Bears a dynamic presence in their secondary. He also fills a glaring need at safety after Chicago lost Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker in free agency.
The Bears signed safety Coby Bryant to a three-year, $40-million deal in March, and he and Thieneman now project to play alongside one another.
Thieneman is the first safety the Bears have selected in the first round since Mark Carrier in 1990.
Chris Emma covers the Bears and the Chicago sports scene for 104.3 The Score.
