Bears’ Dillon Thieneman Ranked Among Best Picks of 2026 NFL Draft by ESPN
ESPN ranks Chicago Bears safety Dillon Thieneman as the No. 11 best pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, praising Ryan Poles’ patience and value at No. 25.
The national praise for the Chicago Bears’ 2026 NFL Draft class isn’t slowing down, and this time, it’s coming from one of the most respected evaluators in the industry.
ESPN's Matt Miller recently ranked Dillon Thieneman as the 11th-best pick of the entire 2026 NFL Draft class, a significant endorsement of GM Ryan Poles’ decision to stay patient at No. 25.
ESPN Validates Bears’ Patience
According to ESPN’s rankings, Dillon Thieneman wasn’t just a good pick; he was one of the best value selections in the entire draft.
That aligns with how the board fell. Thieneman carried a pre-draft ranking of No. 17 overall on Miller's board, yet slid into Chicago’s lap at pick No. 25. For a team that entered the offseason with zero safeties under contract, the need was obvious. The value? Even better.
MORE: Chicago Bears’ Biggest Needs Still Unresolved After 2026 NFL Draft
"Thieneman will be the point guard of the secondary," Miller wrote, "aligning at free safety but moving around the formation. With eight career interceptions, he is the playmaker Chicago's secondary needs."
A Defensive Centerpiece for Dennis Allen
The fit in Chicago is as clean as it gets.
New defensive coordinator Dennis Allen now has a true chess piece in the secondary. Dillon Thieneman projects as primarily a free safety but offers the versatility to rotate across multiple spots.
MORE: NFL.com Gives Chicago Bears A- Grade for 2026 NFL Draft Class
That kind of deployment flexibility is critical in modern NFL defenses, especially in a scheme that values disguise and post-snap movement.
Bears’ Safety Overhaul Paying Off
It’s easy to forget just how dire the situation was at safety earlier this offseason.
Chicago entered free agency with a completely empty depth chart at the position before adding Coby Bryant as a stabilizing presence. Dillon Thieneman now steps in as the long-term solution and immediate impact player.
Together, they represent a complete reset of the position, and one that ESPN clearly believes was executed at a high level.
The Bears' Bottom Line
When you land a top-20 player at pick No. 25—and analysts rank it among the best selections in the entire draft—you’ve done something right.
And that's what the Chicago Bears did.
Dillon Thieneman does more than just fill a glaring need in the secondary. He has a chance to be a future leader of the defense and one of the best all-around players on the roster.
