The 1st round didn’t unfold as many expected for the Chicago Bears. For weeks leading up to the event, everyone believed the team was focused on one of two positions. Either they’d take an edge rusher or an offensive tackle. Both were obvious needs, and the class had some good options. However, with them sitting at 25th overall, the danger was there that both positions would be picked clean. Sure enough, over the first 24 selections, no fewer than six offensive tackles and five edge rushers were selected. Thankfully, the decision on what to do wasn’t difficult for general manager Ryan Poles. Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman was still on the board to the shock of many. The card was turned in without a second thought.
Several experts had believed Thieneman had a case for being the best safety in the class thanks to his rare mix of size, athleticism, and instincts. Plenty of teams needed help at that position, particularly the Minnesota Vikings at #18. Yet somehow he slipped through the cracks. Insider Albert Breer of the MMQB put the Bears’ remarkable good fortune into perspective during an appearance on ESPN 1000. He had it on good authority that Thieneman probably would’ve gone 12th overall to the Dallas Cowboys had Ohio State safety Caleb Downs not dropped.
Dillon Thieneman is a perfect example of the draft.
All it takes is one unexpected twist to start a massive cascade effect that can lead a player who should probably be a top 10-15 pick to fall to the bottom of the 1st round. It is all about finding the right conditions for such a thing to happen. The Bears needed Downs to get past the New York Giants at #10 overall, whom many saw as his obvious landing spot. Then they needed other teams to focus on different positions like offensive tackle, defensive line, and wide receiver in the middle of the 1st round.
Once he got past Minnesota, everybody knew the odds were high that he’d be there at #25. Chicago could’ve followed the other teams and focused on more premium positions, but that would’ve ignored their board. Thieneman was by far the best talent available. The fact that he played a position that the Bears needed another starter at was an added bonus. As cliché as it may sound, sometimes you shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth. Don’t overthink it. That is what the Bears did.
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Bears fans should be familiar with this.
Back in 2014, hopes were high that Chicago could land Pitt defensive tackle Aaron Donald with the 14th pick. Sadly, he went one spot earlier to the Rams at #13. Rather than go after a different defensive lineman, the Bears opted to take the best player they could. That turned out to be cornerback Kyle Fuller, who became an All-Pro for the team during his career. This is why being married to needs is a bad strategy in the draft. Stick to the board. Trust your scouts. The Bears did that with Dillon Thieneman.
Now they have a chance to field one of the best safety tandems in the NFL over the next few years. Coby Bryant is already an established stud, having played at a Pro Bowl level for the past two years. If Thieneman reaches his potential, he has All-Pro capability. We’re talking peak, healthy Mike Brown territory. Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen is a great coach to learn from. This is the same man who developed names like Marcus Williams, Vonn Bell, and C.J. Gardner-Johnson. The setup couldn’t be better.
