Dillon Thieneman's NFL Combine Performance Boosts Draft Stock

Seahawks unlikely to have a chance to select the Oregon safety with the 32nd overall pick

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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Dillon Thieneman's impressive showing at the 2026 NFL Combine has significantly boosted his draft stock, making it unlikely that the Seattle Seahawks will be able to select him with the 32nd overall pick as previously projected. NFL analyst Bucky Brooks had mocked Thieneman to the Seahawks, but his standout testing has pushed him up draft boards, with the popular NFL Stock Exchange podcast now projecting him to be taken 10th overall by the Cincinnati Bengals.

Why it matters

The NFL Combine is a crucial event that can dramatically alter a prospect's draft position, as evidenced by Thieneman's case. This story highlights how the draft process becomes more interesting and predictable once measurable testing data is available, allowing media analysts to make more substantive projections about team selections.

The details

Prior to the Combine, NFL analyst Bucky Brooks had mocked Dillon Thieneman, a safety from the University of Oregon, to be selected by the Seattle Seahawks with the 32nd overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. The Seahawks even met with Thieneman at the Combine, further fueling speculation that he could end up in Seattle. However, Thieneman's testing performance at the Combine was exceptional, with him testing better than 96.7% of all safeties since 1987. This has caused his draft stock to skyrocket, making it highly unlikely that he will still be available when the Seahawks pick at 32nd overall.

  • Bucky Brooks mocked Dillon Thieneman to the Seahawks on March 1, 2026.
  • The Seahawks met with Thieneman at the 2026 NFL Combine on March 3, 2026.
  • Thieneman tested at the Combine on March 3, 2026.

The players

Dillon Thieneman

A safety from the University of Oregon whose draft stock has skyrocketed after an impressive performance at the 2026 NFL Combine.

Bucky Brooks

An NFL analyst who had previously mocked Dillon Thieneman to be selected by the Seattle Seahawks with the 32nd overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Seattle Seahawks

An NFL team that was previously projected to select Dillon Thieneman with the 32nd overall pick, but is now unlikely to have the opportunity to do so.

Cincinnati Bengals

An NFL team that is now projected to select Dillon Thieneman with the 10th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, according to the popular NFL Stock Exchange podcast.

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What they’re saying

“Now, Thieneman being available at the 32nd pick looks like a pipe dream.”

— Bucky Brooks, NFL Analyst (Yahoo Sports)

The takeaway

The NFL Combine is a crucial event that can dramatically alter a prospect's draft stock, as evidenced by Dillon Thieneman's case. This story highlights how the draft process becomes more interesting and predictable once measurable testing data is available, allowing media analysts to make more substantive projections about team selections.