In our latest three-round 2026 NFL Mock Draft, it wasn’t the Dallas Cowboys’ first choice that caught my attention but rather the second one.

Our draft experts at A to Z Sports mocked CB Mansoor Delane out of LSU at No. 12, which has become a frequent name tied to the Cowboys—and even more so now that Dallas hired a coach very familiar with him. At No. 20, however, the Cowboys picked another defensive back: Safety Dillon Thieneman, out of Oregon.

A double-dip approach at defensive back would make sense to me, as the Cowboys recently admitted secondary was the team’s biggest need outside of linebacker. However, I wondered how would Thieneman fit into the Cowboys, and could he play nickel for Dallas, a position new defensive coordinator Christian Parker values plenty.

So I reached out to our expert Ryan Roberts, who made the Cowboys picks in the mock, for his insight on Thieneman. Spoiler alert: This kid could be the ultimate chess piece for Parker’s defense.

What is the best trait Cowboys fans should know about Dillon Thieneman?

Roberts: Versatility is the name of the game for Thieneman. If you watched his film while he was with Purdue during his first two seasons, the 6-0, 207-pound defensive back was playing a ton of single high free safety. Oregon used him much differently, allowing him to rob short zones, play some midhole, and become a bigger presence near the box. Due to his combination of size and movement skills, Thieneman offers a ton of alignment versatility for a defense. If used correctly, this is a diverse defender who should have a role in every aspect of playing good defense – making plays from depth, dropping down to disrupt the short to intermediate passing game, and making his presence known as a tackler. Thieneman does everything on a solid to good level without many holes in his game.

New Cowboys DC Christian Parker is prioritize the nickel position. Does Thieneman have the skillset to be a nickel type the way Nick Emmanwori has for the Seahawks?

Roberts: He has enough hip fluidity to play some big nickel, while having the strength and body type to consistently fit against the run. I personally do like him as a boundary safety, or pure strong safety type that is allowed to be aggressive getting downhill and using his instincts. Thieneman, however, is expected to test at a near elite level. There is no limit to the type of usage he can have if coached and developed properly.

Thieneman is considered a late-first rounder, do you see him as a Day 1 starter and where would you play him if so?

Roberts: Yes, this is a player who can start immediately on the NFL level. He got off to a slower start during his one year at Oregon, but down the stretch of the season, Thieneman was playing at a very high level. With three years of starting experience, Thieneman has played a lot of football and seen many different styles of offenses at a younger age. There is no reason to think that he won’t be able to acclimate quickly. Finding him a specific role might be advantageous, but down the stretch of the 2026 season, I imagine that Thieneman would be ready to add more to his plate. He projects as a plus starter long term, with upside to play either safety spot.

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