Selected by Chicago

The Bears selected Thieneman in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 25th overall.

Thieneman would have been a justifiable selection somewhere in the top 20, so the Bears jumped at the chance to add the speedy safety with the 25th pick. Thieneman (6-feet, 201 pounds) was outrageously productive as a true freshman and sophomore starter at Purdue (2023-2024), accumulating triple-digit tackles in both seasons and intercepting six passes in the first season. Thieneman almost made it three seasons in a row with triple-digit tackles, but he finished with 'only' 96 tackles in his one season with Oregon (2025). With a 4.35-second 40 and 41-inch vertical, Thieneman showed he's a top-tier athlete in addition to a skilled safety.