{"id":821080,"date":"2026-03-19T12:18:46","date_gmt":"2026-03-19T12:18:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/821080\/"},"modified":"2026-03-19T12:18:46","modified_gmt":"2026-03-19T12:18:46","slug":"mel-kiper-knows-just-the-rookie-for-the-vikings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/821080\/","title":{"rendered":"Mel Kiper Knows Just the Rookie for the Vikings"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019re a Minnesota Vikings mock draft savant \u2014 you probably are if you\u2019re reading stuff from this website \u2014 you probably know the name Dillon Thieneman by now, a safety from the University of Oregon<\/a>. He\u2019s popping up all over the place for the Vikings in mock drafts, even drawing ESPN\u2019s Mel Kiper\u2019s attention this week.<\/p>\n

Minnesota\u2019s safety need keeps pointing back to Thieneman.<\/p>\n

While the team has a large draft mystery this time around, mainly because Kwesi Adofo-Mensah<\/a> was fired at the end of January, Thieneman is rapidly becoming Minnesota\u2019s draft favorite, at least according to pundits and fans.<\/p>\n

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Thieneman Feels Like a Natural Match for Brian Flores<\/p>\n

The Oregon Duck as Harrison Smith\u2019s replacement is all the rage.<\/p>\n

\"Dan<\/p>\n

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning, left, speaks with defensive back Dillon Thieneman during an open practice at the Moshofsky Center in Eugene, Oregon on Dec. 27, 2025, as the Ducks prepared for the Orange Bowl with a focus on defensive communication and adjustments ahead of a major postseason matchup. Mandatory Credit: Ben Lonergan-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

Kiper: Thieneman to MIN at No. 18<\/p>\n

The Vikings have a need at safety, especially if Smith retires, and Thieneman would emphatically fill that with his rookie profile.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why Kiper mock-drafted him to Minnesota on Tuesday and wrote<\/a>, \u201cWe still don\u2019t know whether 37-year-old Harrison Smith will keep playing (and if so, whether he\u2019ll return to Minnesota as a free agent). Joshua Metellus, Jay Ward and Theo Jackson are the top safeties on the Vikings\u2019 depth chart. In a division with Caleb Williams, Jordan Love and Jared Goff, this has to be a priority at the draft regardless of whether Smith is back for Year 15.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u201cI had Thieneman to the Vikings in my last mock draft. He reminds me a lot of Smith in the way he reads the QB and reacts in a flash. I could see defensive coordinator Brian Flores<\/a> getting creative with Thieneman, lining him up all over the formation and letting him use his great ball skills to pile up takeaways.\u201d<\/p>\n

Since the NFL Combine three weeks ago, Thieneman to the Vikings has taken on a life of its own.<\/p>\n

The Combine Breakout<\/p>\n

In Indianapolis, Thieneman took the Combine by storm, banking 4.35 forty and jumping a 41-inch vertical. He also showed incredible \u2014 somewhat unexpected? \u2014 backpedal motion and fluidity. The event alone shoved him into Round 1 of mock drafts after previously living near the top-middle of Round 2.<\/p>\n

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Thieneman also has the size at 6\u20190\u2033 and 200 pounds. His versatility is noteworthy, as he can play single-high coverage and play at the line of scrimmage when needed.<\/p>\n

If Thieneman flies off the board in Round 1 to the Vikings or another team, he can thank his Combine showing.<\/p>\n

Thieneman\u2019s Scouting Report<\/p>\n

Thieneman played two seasons at Purdue \u2014 Minnesotans know him because of the Big Ten connection \u2014 before transferring to Oregon in 2025. He\u2019s played 39 games collegiately and banked 306 tackles, 8 interceptions, and 10 tackles for loss. His coverage skills are phenomenal for a rookie safety, and the elite speed will make defensive coordinators salivate. Thieneman shows hesitation at times, but that\u2019s not unusual for a rookie defender.<\/p>\n

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The Draft Buzz on Thieneman<\/a>: \u201cThieneman is the kind of safety who walks into a defensive meeting room on Day One and immediately earns his keep. The coverage grades speak loudly, but what separates him is the totality of the package.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a player who can align in a two-high shell pre-snap, rotate down to a robber look post-snap, and then fill an alley against the run with real physicality, all within the same drive. The modern NFL is demanding exactly this type of defensive back, and Thieneman\u2019s college production in multiple schemes and alignments suggests his transition should be smoother than most.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Dillon<\/p>\n

Oregon defensive back Dillon Thieneman meets with reporters during Media Day at Autzen Stadium in Eugene on July 28, 2025, discussing his role in the secondary and expectations for the upcoming season as Oregon prepared for another high-profile campaign in front of local and national media. Mandatory Credit: Ben Lonergan-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

If Minnesota brings Kiper\u2019s mock to life, Thieneman would almost certainly grab Theo Jackson or Jay Ward\u2019s job immediately, assuming Smith returns for one more year<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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TBD added, \u201cHis best fit is in a defense that values pre-snap disguise and post-snap versatility in the secondary. Defensive coordinators who run multiple coverage structures and ask their safeties to communicate and adjust on the fly will love what Thieneman brings to the table.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHis coverage instincts and diagnostic ability make him a natural fit in split-safety looks, but his tackling and run support are good enough that he won\u2019t be a liability when asked to come down into the box.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Other Round 1 Draft Possibilities<\/p>\n

Of course, the Vikings aren\u2019t guaranteed to pick Thieneman if he\u2019s there at No. 18. Interim general manager Rob Brzezinski<\/a> and Minnesota\u2019s coaching staff may have a different take early in the draft. In all likelihood, if Minnesota does not trade down, the Vikings\u2019 pick in Round 1 will be one of these men:<\/p>\n

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C.J. Allen (LB) \u2014 Georgia<\/p>\n

Caleb Banks (DT) \u2014 Florida<\/p>\n

Mansoor Delane (CB) \u2014 LSU<\/p>\n

Keldric Faulk (EDGE) \u2014 Auburn<\/p>\n

Emmanuel McNeil-Warren \u2014 Toledo<\/p>\n

Akheem Mesidor (EDGE) \u2014 Miami (FL)<\/p>\n

Jermod McCoy (CB) \u2014 Tennessee<\/p>\n

Kayden McDonald (DT) \u2014 Ohio State<\/p>\n

Kenyon Sadiq (TE) \u2014 Oregon<\/p>\n

Dillon Thieneman (S) \u2014 Oregon<\/p>\n

Avieon Terrell (CB) \u2014 Clemson<\/p>\n

Jordyn Tyson (WR) \u2014 Arizona State<\/p>\n

Peter Woods (DT) \u2014 Clemson<\/p>\n

Outside linebacker isn\u2019t a pressing roster need, but it could move up the list if Minnesota trades Jonathan Greenard<\/a>, who lives hot and heavy in the rumor mill.<\/p>\n

\"Purdue<\/p>\n

Purdue defensive back Dillon Thieneman (31) celebrates with teammates Smiley Bradford (6) and Jamarrion Harkless (97) after a tackle against Penn State at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Indiana on Nov. 16, 2024, reacting to a key defensive stop during a physical Big Ten matchup. Mandatory Credit: USA TODAY Sports<\/p>\n

On Thieneman, the best stylistic comparison currently in the pros may be Atlanta Falcons safety Jesse Bates III, a three-time All-Pro.<\/p>\n

Thieneman will turn 22 in August.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"If you\u2019re a Minnesota Vikings mock draft savant \u2014 you probably are if you\u2019re reading stuff from this…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":821081,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2073],"tags":[52319,254,6696,1036,19134,7,21433,1029,31346,8041,1724,9737,14,233,259,2529,4002,28960,6,683,526,23207,16653,234],"class_list":["post-821080","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-minnesota-vikings","tag-akheem-mesidor","tag-atlanta-falcons","tag-brian-flores","tag-caleb-williams","tag-dillon-thieneman","tag-football","tag-harrison-smith","tag-jared-goff","tag-jay-ward","tag-jonathan-greenard","tag-jordan-love","tag-mandatory-credit","tag-mel-kiper","tag-minnesota","tag-minnesota-vikings","tag-minnesotavikings","tag-mock-draft","tag-mock-drafts","tag-nfl","tag-oregon","tag-tennessee","tag-theo-jackson","tag-university-of-oregon","tag-vikings"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nfl\/116255812896131817","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/821080","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=821080"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/821080\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/821081"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=821080"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=821080"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=821080"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}