Tony Pauline: word inside league circles @oregonfootball S Dillon Thieneman could end up with the #Vikings at 18 or the #Panthers at 19

[SmokinwithWilly]

We need a true FS and have for a long time. A good FS makes everyone's life easier on the back side. Some positions you can't just throw anyone in and have success. FS is one of those. 

[Swaggasaurus]

We don’t play single high safety and it’s not because we don’t have one. It’s to keep the offense guessing, a disguise. It’s a staple of the Fangio/Evero defense. “True free safety”is not a thing under Evero. 

[BEASTfromdaEAST]

1 hour ago, Swaggasaurus said:

We don’t play single high safety and it’s not because we don’t have one. It’s to keep the offense guessing, a disguise. It’s a staple of the Fangio/Evero defense. “True free safety”is not a thing under Evero. 

That may be true but not having a competent and talented safety is what let Stafford cook us down the field in almost less than 1 minute and bouncing us out the playoffs.  Scott is a liability in each level of the game IMO and a versatile player at that position can completely change the look of a defense just as much as a pass rusher. Knocked down passes big moments, turnovers, TFL, QB pressures on blitzes, etcetera.  

I'm  not saying you don't want us to draft a safety, but most of us should agree that WE NEEEED a lights out safety on this team finally. 

If DM moves up a spot before Vikings and not give up much to snag him for us I won't be mad in slightest. This kid is a DAWG and I believe he could possibly be a staple on this defense the likes of the guys we still sing praises for Peppers, Kuechly, Davis, Rucker, Beason, Morgan, Gamble..............Thieneman? 

[TheSpecialJuan]

2 hours ago, Swaggasaurus said:

We don’t play single high safety and it’s not because we don’t have one. It’s to keep the offense guessing, a disguise. It’s a staple of the Fangio/Evero defense. “True free safety”is not a thing under Evero. 

interesting point 

[Basbear]

I do not agree with spending a 1st on safety and even less if they are free safety........guess what?? maybe this is not the draft to worry about position value, which kills me....

[Chief Keek]

BREAKING: Now the rumor is by the 19th pick there won't be any picks available.

[Clicheking]

Been on the Thieneman train for a while now....I'd do unspeakble things to get him at 19

[Bear Hands]

6 hours ago, Swaggasaurus said:

We don’t play single high safety and it’s not because we don’t have one. It’s to keep the offense guessing, a disguise. It’s a staple of the Fangio/Evero defense. “True free safety”is not a thing under Evero. 

I've tried saying this before hehe

But yeah, ideally you seek the guy who can take on that fluid high shell role.  We're 2 high the majority of the time, and play a lot of 6 DB looks, not just nickel.  Which is why it's still great to have Ransom even if we land a safety who can pull into slot on different looks.  Having these safeties with the capacity to roam (not necessarily a Kam Chancellor, it's been more refined since LOB days), but he definitely started a thing.  

You want that dude who can play robber, look like he's creeping up in the box and then drops back deep, the delayed blitz, or just pull into a slot role.  You need that added compliment to Moehrig.  And holy bananas this draft has precisely that in more than a few: Thieneman, McNeil-Warren, Stokes, Haulcy, Kilgore, Scott...it's a fun group.

It's very much what teams are doing with their top guys like Pitre, Branch, Emman, Hamilton, etc.  And a very valuable defensive piece.  It's not some guy who just sits back deep playing pick-a-ball circa 2010 at FS.  

[Daddy_Uncle]

Theineman is the best fit prospect for us in the realistic area to get him. Minnesota will probably take him though

[Aussie Tank]

There's a chance we have two 25 year old rookies after round 1 and 2 in Mesidore and Stukes and I could probably live with it 

[PleaseCutStewart]

On 4/15/2026 at 7:34 PM, TD alt said:

Yeah, I said it in the other thread last night: if we want Thieneman, we'd likely have to jump Minny to get him. 

Mel Kiper mocked McNeil-Warren to us, so there's that. 

While I like McNeil-Warren, I hate the pick for us because we already have Moehrig and Ransom (positions that McNeil-Warren would play for us).

[PleaseCutStewart]

15 hours ago, Aussie Tank said:

There's a chance we have two 25 year old rookies after round 1 and 2 in Mesidore and Stukes and I could probably live with it 

I think people get too freaked out by age. Many times teams don't resign a good player they draft to a 2nd contract because they are cap strapped. So it shouldn't matter whether they are 26 going for their 2nd contract or 30.

If anything, we get to capitalize on their prime years.

[PleaseCutStewart]

23 hours ago, Swaggasaurus said:

We don’t play single high safety and it’s not because we don’t have one. It’s to keep the offense guessing, a disguise. It’s a staple of the Fangio/Evero defense. “True free safety”is not a thing under Evero. 

It's honestly surprising we don't play single high safety more because it's most common in cover 1 man and cover 3 zone. And we all know we run a poo ton of cover 3 zone.

Overall, I thought coverage was pretty good last year except the inside hook routes and seam routes. And I think a big reason those were successful is because we had the shittiest of LBs to play zone defense for us + a nonexistent pass rush. Lloyd & Phillips + draft picks hopefully help to address both of those problems 

Edited April 17 by PleaseCutStewart

[TD alt]

1 hour ago, PleaseCutStewart said:

While I like McNeil-Warren, I hate the pick for us because we already have Moehrig and Ransom (positions that McNeil-Warren would play for us).

It's surely something to think about. Thieneman is the better fit for us, and I think that's pretty undeniable. Picking Emmanuel McNeil-Warren could be a duplication. I guess it would depend upon whether they're really convicted about him at the FS spot.