Ty Benefield (safety, LSU) is a transfer from Boise State. His size and range have earned him first-round grades in early 2027 NFL mock drafts. What does the tape show?
Ty Benefield 2027 NFL Draft Early Scouting Report
Measurables
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 205 lbs
Statistics
2025: 107 tackles, including 8.5 tackles for loss, four passes defended, and two interceptions.
2024: 82 tackles, including five tackles for loss, three passes defended, and two interceptions.
2023: 46 tackles, including 4.5 tackles for loss and one interception.
The Tape
Games Watched: at South Florida, at Notre Dame, and Washington (Bowl Game).
Strengths
Benefield’s frame and movement ability stand out right away. He has an ideal frame for safety, with good size and long arms. Coming downhill, Benefield moves well and is effective doing so from a two-deep or single high role.
Benefield does show the ability to come downhill under control. His best plays on tape are when he does so.
New LSU safety Ty Benefield (Boise State transfer – #0, left of the two safeties) is at his best coming downhill. Here, he does so under control.#NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/7UE1o869IT
— Paul Emery (@UKDraftFan) June 30, 2026
He had experience in a variety of roles for Boise State – in the box, two deep, single high, and also over a slot receiver. He has the size and physicality to cover tight ends man-to-man. He certainly doesn’t back down, and that will stand him in good stead in the SEC.
Benefield has the speed to stay with wide receivers, showing the ability to carry them deep or across the field. When close to the line, he has heavy hands in his press. He can backpedal and turn and run out of it.
Areas to Improve
There are two crucial areas of his game that he needs to improve. Missed tackles are a massive problem. There are way too many. At times, he doesn’t wrap, electing to put a shoulder into his man. On other occasions, his arm tackles lack conviction, and ball carriers can easily break them.
The key area Ty Benefield (safety, LSU) needs to improve is his tackling. For Boise State at USF he had two missed tackles that turned into scores. Here's one. There are too many other examples on his tape.#NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/QQVuTkBXn1
— Paul Emery (@UKDraftFan) June 30, 2026
To compound this issue, at times his angles are poor. It leaves him desperately grasping at air as he tries to make a tackle. As noted above, he can come downhill under control; he needs to do this more consistently.
In zone coverage, Benefield loves to read the quarterback’s eyes and make plays. However, he’s got a riverboat gambler’s element to his game. He can play flat-footed, looking for the big play and allowing receivers space behind him. He doesn’t always stay deeper than the deepest receiver. In single high coverage, this is a concern.
In man coverage, receivers who have good quickness cause him some problems. He looks like a linear athlete. This results in him having to be too “grabby,” and in the NFL flags will fly.
He also needs to learn to get his head around to find the ball in man coverage. This partly explains his relatively low interception production.
Key Tests in 2026
As a transfer from Boise State, a full SEC schedule in of itself will test Benefield. It will have been part of his decision to transfer.
There’s no gentle introduction as the season starts with a non-conference matchup against Clemson. September also has huge tests for LSU in Ole Miss (September 19) and Texas A&M (September 26). Both have powerful offenses that will test Benefield’s tackling and angles.
Things are more manageable in October, but November has a tough three-game stretch. The Tigers host Alabama on November 7, followed by Texas and a visit to Tennessee.
The full schedule can be found here.
Ty Benefield 2027 NFL Draft Projection
While his frame and straight-line speed pop off the tape, the overall tape is still a work in progress. Benefield must improve his tackling and angles. He will also need to learn to play more in the structure of the LSU defense.
There is top 50 potential in his raw tools, but there needs to be significant improvement in his tape for him to be considered as this level of prospect in the 2027 NFL Draft.
Main Image: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
