Ty Benefield
LSU#69 overallDraft Movement
Down 22 spots since Jun 8
Scouting Report
Ty Benefield is a long, downhill safety who spent three seasons carving out a reputation at Boise State before transferring to LSU as the No. 2 safety in the portal. He is a 32-game starter with over 600 snaps of experience split across the slot, the box, and deep safety, and that positional flexibility is the backbone of his value. At a listed 6-2 and 205 pounds with excellent length, he looks and plays the part of an SEC defender before he has taken an SEC snap. He plays downhill and shows up in run support on a consistent basis, and his tackling technique holds up in space where he routinely turns potential big plays into short gains. His pre-snap awareness is a genuine strength, and he processes route concepts quickly enough to stay a step ahead. He shows very good range in the middle of the field and closes on the ball as an effective open-field tackler. Benefield played 355 man-coverage snaps in 2025, which slots him directly into Blake Baker's man-heavy scheme that frees the front to blitz. He also logged over 300 snaps in the box, so he can be moved around and asked to do different jobs on a given down. He is a natural leader who gets teammates aligned and communicates coverage calls, the kind of tone-setter defensive coordinators trust. Lane Kiffin has called his skill set ultra-elite and paired it with an ultra-elite work ethic and mindset. The production backs the tape, with 235 career tackles, 18 tackles for loss, 12 pass breakups, and 5 interceptions entering 2026. He is not a super physical thumper and lacks one truly elite standout trait, and the jump in competition from the Mountain West to the SEC is the real test. If he replicates his Boise State form against SEC offenses, he cements himself in the first-round conversation for 2027.
The Tape
Strengths
- Positional versatility with 600-plus snaps across slot, box, and deep safety
- downhill run defender who provides consistent run support
- reliable open-field tackler who turns big plays into short gains
- very good range in the middle of the field
- excellent size and length he uses to make plays
- elite man-coverage experience (355 man snaps in 2025) that fits a man-heavy scheme
- sharp pre-snap awareness and quick diagnosis
- vocal on-field leader who aligns teammates and makes coverage calls
Weaknesses
- Not a super physical or violent hitter despite the size
- lacks one truly elite standout trait
- unproven against SEC-level competition after playing in the Mountain West
- production came largely against lower-tier Group of Five offenses
- tackling reliability against bigger, faster ball carriers still to be tested
- length and range are more good than special
- needs to prove his 2025 leap was not scheme-inflated
NFL Comparison
AJ Haulcy (SI, framed as Benefield's direct replacement at LSU with a similar versatile skill set and even stronger man coverage); Trey'Dez Green (Lane Kiffin, comparison on ultra-elite skill set and mindset rather than position); Jordan Seaton (Lane Kiffin, grouped as ultra-elite standout talent and work ethic)
College Stats
2024 (Boise State): 82 tackles, 3 pass breakups, 2 INT; 2025 (Boise State): 105 tackles (team-high), 8.5 TFL, 3 pass breakups, 2 INT, 1 forced fumble; Career (through 2025): 235 tackles, 18 TFL, 12 pass breakups, 5 INT, 2 forced fumbles
College Market Value
Our model prices him at $1.23M on the open college market, built from production, pedigree, role and LSU's program money. No credible deal has been reported for him this season.
Portal: transferred from Boise State to LSU for 2026.
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Measurables
Awards & Honors
First-Team All-Mountain West (2024); First-Team All-Mountain West (2025); Mountain West Championship Game Defensive MVP (2025); No. 2 safety in the transfer portal