After grabbing Mike Evans and Christian Kirk in free agency, the San Francisco 49ers' top priority in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft likely shifted from wide receiver to something else.
Perhaps a pass-rusher or maybe even an offensive lineman.
But the Niners may be thinking something else, at least based on relative inactivity within their secondary at the start of the league new year.
Particularly at safety.
San Francisco bade farewell to veteran Jason Pinnock, leaving Ji'Ayir Brown and Malik Mustapha as the most-experienced options at the position, although neither of the two incumbents exactly flashed enough prowess to ensure they'll start over the course of 2026. And both are more traditional in-the-box defensive backs anyway.
That could open the door for general manager John Lynch to do something his franchise hasn't done since 2014: draft a safety in Round 1.
Should the 49ers do this, there's an ideal candidate who may just be available at No. 27 overall: Oregon's Dillon Thieneman.
49ers may easily pivot to Dillon Thieneman in Round 1 of NFL Draft
Pinnock was the closest thing the Niners had to a true deep-ball safety last season, as neither Mustapha nor Brown possessed the ranginess to cover extensive areas of the field.
Unless the Niners fully trust second-year pro Marques Sigle to take a next-level leap, they'll be exploring other options.
That's where Thieneman comes into play.
Having ran a 4.35 40-yard time at the NFL Combine, there's no question about the 6-foot, 201-pounder's speed, and his ability to occupy several different spots within the defensive backfield will work to his advantage.
Bleacher Report currently has Thieneman ranked as the No. 25 overall prospect, meaning a slip to 27th overall is certainly a possibility, as is the chance he gets drafted way before San Francisco is even sniffing the clock. But, given the fluidity of expected prospects between Nos. 20 and 40 in this year's class, it wouldn't be a shocker to see the former Duck slip.
Especially considering teams rarely use a first-round pick on safeties.
So, while the 49ers are largely linked to either pass-rushers or offensive linemen in Round 1, the pressing need at safety might be too good to overlook if Thieneman somehow falls into their lap.