Next Harrison Smith? Vikings meet Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman at the NFL Combine

Minnesota is not hiding the fact that it is shopping for life after Harrison Smith. At the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine, Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman told reporters he met with the Vikings, confirming that Brian Flores’ defense is doing serious homework on one of this class’ cleanest safety prospects, as noted by Anthony Miller.The meeting comes as mock drafts from NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah and Gennaro Filice, along with ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr., keep sending Thieneman to Minnesota at No. 18. Add in previous work from Adam New and Will Ragatz outlining how well he fits Flores’ system, and it is clear this is no throwaway Combine chat. Thieneman is firmly in the Vikings’ first-round conversation.

Vikings make their Harrison Smith question very real with Dillon Thieneman

Smith is the NFL’s active leader in interceptions and one of the best defensive players in franchise history, but the front office knows it cannot wait for his retirement announcement to build a succession plan.

Meeting Thieneman in Indianapolis is the clearest sign yet that Minnesota is ready to line up its next centerpiece on the back end.Thieneman has the production to back up the hype. At Oregon last season, he posted 92 tackles, five pass breakups, two interceptions, and a sack, earning first-team Big Ten and All-American honors. Reporters at the Combine noted him talking about his comfort in the box and his ability to function almost like a linebacker when asked, something Flores values in his safeties.

That versatility matters for a unit that was 21st against the run in 2025, giving up 124.1 rushing yards per game. A safety who can trigger downhill, play in the box, and still hold up in coverage fits exactly what Flores wants next to Josh Metellus. Thieneman can help on tight ends, support versus wide receivers, and clean up runs that get past the first level.Flores has already shown how dangerous his defense can be when the safety room is full of players who can blitz, disguise, and rotate late.

Thieneman projects as that kind of Swiss army knife, and that is why so many evaluators have circled him as the direct Smith successor if Minnesota goes the draft route instead of free agency.

Is Dillon Thieneman at No. 18 a reach or the right call for the Vikings?

This is where things get uncomfortable for general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. Safeties rarely go this high. As Ragatz laid out, only 13 safeties have been drafted in the top 18 picks since 2010, a short list that includes names like Kyle Hamilton, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Derwin James, Jamal Adams, Eric Berry, and Earl Thomas.

The hit rate is strong, but teams usually only pay that price when they believe they are drafting a true star.Thieneman started this cycle in that early Day 2 range. Strong tape at Purdue and Oregon, plus his ability to do everything Flores asks from the position, has pushed him into late first-round territory. If he tests well and interviews cleanly in Indianapolis, Minnesota may not be able to count on him lasting beyond No.

18.The tension is simple: take a potential long-term defensive quarterback in Thieneman, or lean into positional value and look at edge rusher, cornerback, or the defensive line. Adam New has already flagged Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks, Tennessee cornerbacks Jermod McCoy and Colton Hood, Clemson cornerback Avieon Terrell, Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq, and Penn State running back Nick Singleton as other Combine names that match Minnesota’s draft priorities.Passing on those spots for a safety only makes sense if the Vikings see Thieneman on that Hamilton–Fitzpatrick tier of impact. The Combine meeting suggests they are at least willing to ask that question. How hard they push for him on draft night will tell everyone exactly how ready they are to move from the Harrison Smith era to the next one.