The Chicago Bears selected Dillon Thieneman with the 25th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Thieneman was expected to go a bit higher in the first round, but the Bears were able to snag him after he fell right into their laps.You'd have to go back to 2018 to find a defensive player selected by the Bears in the first round. They took linebacker Roquan Smith out of Georgia with that selection.
Every other NFL team took at least one defensive player during that span.One of the interesting things about Thieneman is that he has receiver-level speed, and that was on display at the NFL Scouting Combine, where he made waves with his impressive 40-yard dash, where he outran three of the league's top wideouts, including Minnesota Vikings star Justin Jefferson..@oregonfootball S Dillon Thieneman just casually out-running three of the best WRs in the game 🤷♂️2026 NFL Combine on @nflnetworkStream on @NFLPluspic.twitter.com/cg1oodDj6e— NFL (@NFL) February 27, 2026As the layover video shows, Thieneman's 4.35-second 40 time in 2026 was faster than Jefferson (4.43 in 2020), Stefon Diggs (4.46 in 2015), and AJ Brown (4.49 in 2019). The Bears just drafted a safety who is arguably faster than three of the best receivers in the NFL, and one of them, perhaps the best one, is in their division.Being fast doesn't guarantee that you will be an elite NFL safety.
It also doesn't hurt your chances. The Bears addressed a position of need with someone who can absolutely fly. If his playmaking abilities and defensive intelligence can match his speed and translate to the pro game, the Bears will have a stud defender for years to come.Follow Bears Wire on Twitter, Facebook and InstagramThis article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears safety Dillon Thieneman outran Justin Jefferson in 40-yard dash