Welcome to the NFL Combine, where Oregon development goes to shine

Kenyon Sadiq, Dillon Thieneman, Bryce Boettcher and Emmanuel Pregnon wowed scouts and analysts at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis this week, putting on a show that gave witness to Oregon development and scouting.

At 6-3, 241 Sadiq put together one of the most impressive combine performances in history for a tight end, turning in a 4.39 40, a 43.5-inch vertical jump, an 11' 1" broad jump and 1.54 second 10-yard shuttle.

He also blew scouts and general managers away with his interview answers, poise and grasp of football.
Mike Garafolo of nfl.com said, "He’s walking into interviews and explaining exactly what everybody else's assignment is. I had one guy say 'it was the best interview I've ever had.'"

While Sadiq's star turn at the Combine likely vaults him into the first ten picks of the NFL draft, his play on the field during his record-setting junior season completes his resume. He caught a single-season school record 51 passes for 560 yards and eight touchdowns, coupling that with impressive blocking grades and highlight film big plays.

New Ducks offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer credited Oregon strength coach Wilson Love for mentoring Sadiq's dramatic growth as an explosive athlete.

The Idaho Falls, Idaho native was a promising high school recruit in 2023, a four-star prospect, but his dramatic improvement from prep tight end to first round draft pick is a testament to both his hard work and superb training and facilities.

For Thieneman, Oregon was a finishing school. He earned Freshman All-American honors at Purdue in 2023, but his one season as a Duck took him to another level as a pro prospect and an All-Big-Ten, All-American safety.

Thieneman showed himself to be one of the top safety prospects in the 2026 rookie class, blowing the competition with a 4.35 40, 41-inch vertical jump and 10'-5" broad jump as well as acing the gauntlet and pass coverage drills.

At the podium in Indianapolis he said, “I feel like I got a lot more developed.” Oregon made him a better tackler and utilized him in a variety of roles on a winning defense.

In a 1-11 culture at Purdue, Thieneman said, "I felt like I wasn't being developed the way I wanted to, the way I needed to to make it to the next level. So I wound up going into the portal."

At Oregon, he said, “They have so many different coverages that we did there, so you’re going to be asked to do a little bit of everything – covering the slot, rolling out of the box, roll back to the post, being a hook defender. Being able to do all that was very important, and I had a great time playing down in the box.”

The Duck coaches challenged him to develop as a leader and improve his open-field tackling. It was a year-long mission to grow into an NFL-ready safety, checking in at the facility at five every morning to train, study film and prep.

Teammate and fellow member of the Caucasian Collision Unit Bryce Boettcher told Aaron Fentress of the Oregonian, “His work ethic is off the charts, (A team is) gonna get someone who’s incredibly consistent … He’s a true professional and a great teammate.”

For Thieneman, the Combine was a homecoming. He grew up playing for the Westfield Shamrocks in West Lafayette, Indiana, 65 miles northwest of Lucas Oil Stadium, site of the NFL's Underwear Olympics.

His training began long before the Wilson Love finishing school. Older brothers Jake and Brennan both played safety at Purdue and devised workouts for him when he was in middle school. Even as a small boy in the family front yard, they threw the ball and tackled him as hard as they could. The God-given ability and work ethic were evident even then.

Along with guard Emmanuel Pregnon, the Ducks could likely have three selections in the first round of April's NFL draft, just a year after having two in 2025. The traits and standards identified in Oregon's pro prospects are creating a legacy, demonstrating proof of concept. Dan Lanning prepares athletes to achieve their potential. The growth mindset achieves dividends, something that will be born out again a year from now when players like Dante Moore, Matayo Uiagalelei, A'Mauri Washington and Jamari Johnson go to the Combine.