Novel, potent, and highly selective classes of thrombin inhibitors were identified, which resulted from judicious combination of P4-aromatics and P2-P3-heterocyclic dipeptide surrogates with weakly basic (calcd pKa∼ non-basic—8.6) bicyclic P1-arginine mimics. The design, synthesis, and biological activity of achiral, non-covalent, orally bioavailable inhibitors NC1–NC44 featuring P1-indazoles, benzimidazoles, indoles, benzotriazoles, ...