First-round safety Dillon Thieneman is already making serious waves, with ESPN analyst Pamela Maldonado tagging him as a “calculated long shot” for Defensive Rookie of the Year. This isn’t just some casual shout-out either, folks. Maldonado dropped him third on her preseason list of DROY potentials, putting him right behind top-10 picks Sonny Styles from the Commanders and Arvell Reese from the Giants. Talk about a bold prediction right as the season kicks off!
Why This Rookie Is Already on Everyone’s Radar
Maldonado isn’t just guessing; she’s got the receipts. Thieneman, the 25th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, is already Chicago’s starting strong safety, which is huge. After losing Coby Bryant in training camp, Thieneman was instantly thrust into the spotlight and has to play up to his billing. But he’s got the tools for it. Playing a whopping 40% of his snaps in the box during his final college season, it’s clear this dude loves to be where the action is. He racked up 94 tackles and missed only 7.8% of his attempts that year. That’s a guy who finishes plays! With sub-4.4 speed and serious physicality, he’s built to do a bit of everything, but his best bet is as a box safety who can still cover those shifty offensive players in the passing game. Maldonado also gave nods to Vikings defensive tackle Caleb Banks and Chiefs rookie cornerback Mansoor Delane as other contenders, but Thieneman is the one getting the “long shot” buzz.
History Is Against Him, But Don’t Count Him Out
Here’s the kicker, though: a safety hasn’t won Defensive Rookie of the Year since 1990. That’s a loooong time ago! The last one to do it? Coincidentally, it was another Bears safety, Mark Carrier, who went off for 10 interceptions and a Pro Bowl nod as a rookie. If Thieneman can play even half as well as Carrier did, this DROY talk will be absolutely deserved. It’s a tough road to win this award, especially going up against those highly touted pass-rushers and linebackers who usually dominate the stat sheets. Plus, the Bears’ defensive front is looking a little shaky, which means Thieneman might end up making a ton of tackles, but the team’s interception numbers probably won’t hit the 23 total they had in 2026.
But here’s the thing: if Thieneman truly is as good as the Bears hope, he could be the blue-chip production that defense desperately needs. Keep your eyes peeled as the season progresses. You never know, maybe one of his teammates, like cornerback Malik Muhammad or defensive tackle Jordan van den Berg, might even sneak onto that watchlist by the end of the year. It’s going to be wild to see how this plays out!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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