Dillon Thieneman Scouting Report

Dillon Thieneman has a unique blend of top-end speed, instincts, and versatility, which allows him to be a playmaker in the secondary.

Draft Grade: Round 1 - Pro Bowl Caliber

Strengths:

Speed/Range: Thieneman is a 4.3 athlete at the safety position, which shows on his film. He has great sideline-to-sideline range when playing the FS position. Thieneman is also explosive out of his plant-and-drive and has great closing speed to the ball carrier.

Run Defense/Tackling: Thieneman appears to be a sound tackler who has an effective and efficient technique. When closing from a distance, Thieneman has great closing speed to the ball carrier and uses his full body to make contact and bring down the ball carrier. He has sideline-to-sideline range in pursuit of ball carriers.

Alignment Versatility: Thieneman has played in multiple different alignments throughout his collegiate career, being able to play FS, SS, and nickel. There are snaps where he can play the single-high FS with the responsibility of roaming sideline-to-sideline and making a play on the football in the passing game. However, he can also walk down to the nickel position to effectively play the pass and insert into the run game.

Instincts: Thieneman showcases a natural feel for the game at various alignments, which helps him make plays in both the run and passing games. In the run and screen game, Thieneman is quick to diagnose and can get a quick jump on the football, playing downhill and putting himself in a position to be disruptive at or near the line of scrimmage to make the play. In the passing game, Thieneman will anticipate routes and jump them to intercept passes and turn the football over for the defense.

Concerns:

Strength/Tackling Power: Although a willing tackler, Thieneman at times struggles to bring down bigger backs. Thieneman's lack of size translates to a lack of true tackling power to knock back bigger ball carriers, which could lead to broken tackles and ball carriers picking up extra yardage.

Man-to-Man Coverage: In man-to-man coverage, Thieneman needs to improve his technique. Receivers have the opportunity to create separation at the top of routes on in-breakers and out-breakers against Thieneman. He needs to improve his ability to stay in phase to be able to make a play on the football while playing man-to-man.