Purdue DB Dillon Thieneman plans to enter transfer portal

Purdue defensive back Dillon Thieneman plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal, On3 has learned.

Thieneman starred in his role in the Biolermakers secondary in 2024, logging a team-high 104 tackles during this past regular season. He also lead the team with 70 solo tackles while also logging one sack and six PBUs.

The Westerfield, IN native recorded 10-plus tackles in four game this season, including three times during the final four weeks of the season. He had a season-high 14 tackles in a loss to Oregon State in September.

He was just as impressive as a true freshman in 2023. Thieneman was even more productive, totaling 106 total tackles (74 solo) and proved to be a ball-hawk at the safety position with six interceptions on the year. He also forced two fumbles and deflected a couple of passes as well.

Before college, Thieneman was a three-star recruit in the 2023 recruiting class according to the On3 Industry Ranking, which is a proprietary algorithm that compiles ratings and rankings from all four primary recruiting media services. He was the No. 956 player in the country and No. 13 player in his home state.

Based on his production, there’s a good chance Thieneman has his pick of the litter regarding teams vying for his services this offseason. He held offers from the likes of Indiana and Minnesota during his high school recruitment.

The portal officially opens on Monday, Dec. 9, 2024. More than 2,800 FBS scholarship players entered their names into the NCAA’s transfer database during the 2023-24 school year. Removing those who withdrew or went pro, the final total sat at 2,707 transfers. That means roughly 25 percent of all FBS scholarship players hit free agency in one year, per On3’s Pete Nakos.

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire.

The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.