"Productive, high-effort safety with three years of starting experience in big games at Alabama and Ohio State. Downs is an alpha who brings immense juice on each snap. He's at his best when deployed near the line as a box safety or big nickel back. He'll gamble a little bit as a run defender, but he makes more than enough disruptive plays near the line of scrimmage to make up for it."
"Savvy three-year starter with NFL size, speed and alignment versatility. Thieneman is an extension of his defensive coordinator, aligning and adjusting the secondary to motion and pre-snap shifts. He's an instinctive, rangy safety who can roll down into big nickel or robber positioning. He has a good feel for play design and route concepts in zone but has average change of direction to match breaks in man."
Friday at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine showcases defensive backs and tight ends at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, starting at 2:00 p.m. CT on NFL Network and NFL+. The day emphasizes athletic testing including 40-yard dashes, shuttle drills, 3-cone drills, and position-specific coverage and route-running exercises. For the Chicago Bears, both positions present strategic interest: the secondary may experience roster changes based on contract decisions, while tight end depth and development remain relevant behind Cole Kmet and Colston Loveland. Key prospects include safety Caleb Downs from Ohio State, a productive three-year starter known for high-effort play near the line of scrimmage, and safety Dillon Thieneman from Oregon, a versatile starter with NFL size and speed who excels at secondary alignment and adjustment.
Read at Bleacher Nation
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