Dillon Thieneman highlights

Outside of Love and a few blue chippers well out of our reach?

This is who I would be very happy with at 18...

I'm almost never in favor of using a 1st round pick on safety because it's mostly a low impact position. You win games in the trenches, with elite quarterbacks, pass rushers, and with guys that can score touchdowns. However, I'm so completely numb after four years of Kwesi drafts and we have so many damn roster holes, I just don't give a shit where they go or what they decide to do in the 1st round this year. They want to draft a safety with the 18th pick...knock yourselves out.

Tyler Forness seems convinced Thieneman is a 3rd round talent. I need to look more into WHY he thinks that, but I had an exchange with him on Twitter last year when he tried to convince the world that Kaleb Johnson was RB1b.

supafreak84 wrote:
I'm almost never in favor of using a 1st round pick on safety because it's mostly a low impact position. You win games in the trenches, with elite quarterbacks, pass rushers, and with guys that can score touchdowns. However, I'm so completely numb after four years of Kwesi drafts and we have so many damn roster holes, I just don't give a shit where they go or what they decide to do in the 1st round this year. They want to draft a safety with the 18th pick...knock yourselves out.

I think that’s true for a lot of teams, but I think for Flores’s defense, the safety is a lot more important, as they have to be more multi-functional than a lot of safeties.  I’m not saying we need to get one in the first, but maybe that stylistically we’re more limited to how many options we have because they could be a LB, S, or CB on any play, so they need to have the right body type and intellect to be variable.

This draft does seem to be stacked with non-premium positions though, so I think a lot of teams might be forced with choosing to reach at a high value position or take a better player at a lower value position.

supafreak84 wrote:
I'm almost never in favor of using a 1st round pick on safety because it's mostly a low impact position. You win games in the trenches, with elite quarterbacks, pass rushers, and with guys that can score touchdowns. However, I'm so completely numb after four years of Kwesi drafts and we have so many damn roster holes, I just don't give a shit where they go or what they decide to do in the 1st round this year. They want to draft a safety with the 18th pick...knock yourselves out.

It's got to be S or CB. 

There just isnt many IDL, ILB's or RB's with first rd grades? Any or all 3 are position of need. 

They won't go OG again. 

Maybe they get tempted if Malaki Lemon is there? But a WR would surprise the hell out of me.

Thieneman has been gaining a lot of steam lately to the point where some think he could potentially go before we pick.

As I look at his stats again, he's coming out a year early. He had two strong seasons at Purdue, one at Oregon.
Maybe jumped the gun with my endorsement of him?
Time will tell.

medaille wrote:

I think that’s true for a lot of teams, but I think for Flores’s defense, the safety is a lot more important, as they have to be more multi-functional than a lot of safeties.  I’m not saying we need to get one in the first, but maybe that stylistically we’re more limited to how many options we have because they could be a LB, S, or CB on any play, so they need to have the right body type and intellect to be variable.

This draft does seem to be stacked with non-premium positions though, so I think a lot of teams might be forced with choosing to reach at a high value position or take a better player at a lower value position. 

If we are going safety and have our choice of the two top guys, I'm taking McNeil-Warren. Longer, rangier, hits like a truck and has more splash plays. He's almost 6'4" and has the frame to add more weight. Thienaman is a bit underwhelming when it comes to his 6'/201 pound frame

purplefaithful wrote:

It's got to be S or CB. 

There just isnt many IDL, ILB's or RB's with first rd grades? Any or all 3 are position of need. 

They won't go OG again. 

Maybe they get tempted if Malaki Lemon is there? But a WR would surprise the hell out of me.

I think by signing the Pittsburgh corner, it really gives us more options as far as not feeling forced to take a corner early. I mean we essentially got by last year with Rogers, Murphy, and whichever gas station attendant was available that week. I really don't see the pick being a cornerback. Defensive line (even in a trade down) or receiver I think are strong options

supafreak84 wrote:

If we are going safety and have our choice of the two top guys, I'm taking McNeil-Warren. Longer, rangier, hits like a truck and has more splash plays. He's almost 6'4" and has the frame to add more weight. Thienaman is a bit underwhelming when it comes to his 6'/201 pound frame

I think by signing the Pittsburgh corner, it really gives us more options as far as not feeling forced to take a corner early. I mean we essentially got by last year with Rogers, Murphy, and whichever gas station attendant was available that week. I really don't see the pick being a cornerback. Defensive line (even in a trade down) or receiver I think are strong options

I'm still gobsmacked at what BFlo got out of that CB crew last season...I dont know if I've ever seen anything like that before tbh. 

The 2025 Minnesota Vikings boasted an elite pass defense, finishing as the #2 ranked unit in the NFL by allowing only 158.5 passing yards per game, according to FOX Sports and Vikings Wire. Under defensive coordinator Brian Flores, the unit also allowed only 15 passing touchdowns (T-3rd best) and maintained top-5 status in passing first downs allowed, according to FOX Sports and Vikings Territory.

I dont follow the draft deep enough to know if they should grab EMW or DT at S...I will have to trust the post Kam braintrust to make the right decision. 

This just seems like a weak top of the group for IDL this year. Even the highest rated guys seem like a reach for top 1/2 of Rd1 and or have significant injury concerns (ie. Banks etc.)

Now EDGE....Edge seems like a much stronger group.

Not at 18. Like him in a trade back. Good video, good production, good measurables. He doesn’t have the movement fluidity that you would like however.

Bullazin wrote:
Not at 18. Like him in a trade back.  Good video, good production, good measurables. He doesn’t have the movement fluidity that you would like however.

I tend to agree that 18 is too early as well, but his instincts are what get me excited.  His style of play is reminiscent of Harry, but he has the instincts like Ed Reed, IMO.  I don't care about measureables of a S, I care more about his game tape, is he a leader (at that position), is he a reliable tackler, can his positioning be trusted, and how good are his instincts.

MaroonBells wrote:
Tyler Forness seems convinced Thieneman is a 3rd round talent. I need to look more into WHY he thinks that, but I had an exchange with him on Twitter last year when he tried to convince the world that Kaleb Johnson was RB1b.

If we find a way to nab him in the second or third round, that's incredible value and may just be SOD discussion.  Not sure what Tyler sees, so I'd be curious on what he tells you.  Give us an update when you can.

IceRatz16 wrote:
If we find a way to nab him in the second or third round, that's incredible value and may just be SOD discussion.  Not sure what Tyler sees, so I'd be curious on what he tells you.  Give us an update when you can.

Here's his take....

"I want nothing to do with him at 18th overall."@TheRealForno on why he is not a fan of the Minnesota Vikings being sent Dillon Thieneman in mock drafts pic.twitter.com/kfdTEmjXmw

— Vikings 1st and SKOL (@Vikings1stSKOL) March 20, 2026

I trust BFlo and staff to make the right decision when they go S...

They're at the point now where they have to take one somewhere this draft.

The following are Tyler Forness's choices for pick #18. If you want to skip the gibberish, skip to to 33.40 of the video

• 1st: CJ Allen (LB, Georgia)
• 2nd: Avieon Terrell (CB, Clemson)
• 3rd: Peter Woods (DT, Clemson)
• 4th: Makai Lemon (WR, USC)
• Tied for 5th: KC Concepcion (WR, Texas A&M) and Keldric Faulk (Edge, Auburn)

That would be a great draft if they could get all of them))).