‘Everything that we’re looking for’: Thieneman’s ability to make big plays stood out to Bears

Dillon Thieneman shifted a step forward and back near Oregon’s 16-yard line inside Penn State’s Beaver Stadium on a night in late September.

Thieneman’s No. 6 Ducks had just taken a 30-26 lead over the No. 3 Nittany Lions in the second overtime of their Week 5 matchup. Penn State’s crowd roared from the stands, all decked out in white for one of their notorious “white out” games.

Thieneman intently watched Penn State quarterback Drew Allar as the Nittany Lions were about to start a new possession. Allar approached the line of scrimmage for a few moments to communicate something before he motioned his wide receiver and took the snap.

Thieneman crept his way left to the 20-yard line as the play developed. But he never took his eyes off Allar. When Allar tried to sneak a pass to tight end Luke Reynolds, Thieneman jumped up and snagged the ball out of the air, coming down with the interception and the win for Oregon.

“It’s a white-out game, ‘College Gameday,’ the stadium’s super loud, double overtime, and to get the pick and everything just goes silent,” Thieneman recalled at Halas Hall on Friday in Lake Forest. “I could hear all the Oregon fans and my family yelling up in the stands. That moment was awesome.”

That play showcases why the Chicago Bears drafted Thieneman No. 25 overall Thursday night in the NFL draft.

Thieneman displayed his athleticism and knack for finding his way to the football on the play. He assessed the situation and read Allar perfectly to know where the ball would go. Once he read the play, Thieneman used his speed and leaping ability to create the game-winning situation.

But Thieneman also proved that he can come through for his team in big moments. In just his fifth game with the Ducks after transferring from Purdue, Thieneman made the play of the season.

“Dillon’s tape popped out,” Bears general manager Ryan Poles said. “Just the sense of urgency that he plays with, the play speed. We talk about taking the air out of the offense. His ability to close on the football, both in the run and the pass, stood out really, really quick. This guy’s obsessed with football, he plays fast, he’s extremely fast, a great leader, violent in the way that he plays the game; everything that we’re looking for.”

Thieneman aspired to become that player since he was 4 years old and looked up at the TV during a football game and said that would be him one day.

He proved he could be that player his freshman season at Purdue. Thieneman intercepted six passes, had two passes defended and forced two fumbles during his first year in college. That success continued during his sophomore season before Thieneman decided he wanted to go somewhere to be tested and play in big games.

Oregon offered him the chance to reach his full potential. While many schools during recruiting sugarcoat and say things the prospect wants to hear, Oregon coaches made it clear that they’d be tough in order for him to reach his best.

“They told me exactly like, ‘We think you’re a good player,’” Thieneman said. “ ‘This is what you need to work on. This is how we can get you better. This is how we developed guys in the past.’ And to see those examples and see how they had a plan for me made it a very easy decision.”

Thieneman became a dominant player in the secondary as he filled different roles with the Ducks.

Oregon forced Thieneman to move around more than he had at Purdue. It allowed Thieneman to play with his speed at the line of scrimmage and get to the ball quickly. The Ducks also had him play in the “rover” role in the secondary, which allowed him chances to get to the ball.

He showed off his versatility by filling in those different safety spots. The results followed, with two interceptions, five passes defended and 3.5 tackles for a loss.

The Bears hope to pair that versatility with the talent they already have in their secondary.

Poles signed safety Coby Bryant during free agency this offseason because he played with the speed that Bears head coach Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Dennis Allen wanted. He also signed slot cornerback Kyler Gordon to a contract extension last offseason because of his speed and ability to get to the ball.

With three playmakers in the secondary, to go along with former All-Pro cornerback Jaylon Johnson, the Bears could throw varying looks to confuse opponents or exploit mismatches.

“We’re looking for targets, looking for guys that we can find mismatches on and expose,” Poles said. “So when you have speed, and you have a lot of guys that can cover in different spots, your ability to hang in there, cover longer while you’re bringing pressure, things like that, enhances the integrity.”

There’s also the winning aspect.

Johnson was instantly impressed by Bryant when they first spoke. He felt that Bryant played with a “killer instinct.”

The Bears weren’t sure Thieneman would drop to them at No. 25 after some of their projections. Now that he’s in the building, Thieneman is confident he’ll bring over that same instinct.

“I think this was the right spot.”