ESPN Ranks Top-10 Defensive Players For 2026

ESPN writers Eli Lederman and Max Olson recently ranked the Top-10 defensive players for the upcoming college football season and slotted LSU safety Ty Benefield at No. 6.

Benefield was one of Lane Kiffin's top additions from the transfer portal in the offseason after playing three years at Boise State.

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6. S Ty Benefield, LSU

2025 stats (at Boise State): 107 tackles, 8.5 TFLs, 4 pass breakups, 2 interceptions, 1 forced fumble

Personnel experts surveyed by ESPN absolutely raved about Benefield and expect him to be one of the most impactful transfers in the country.

After three very productive seasons at Boise State, Ty Benefield is expected to make a big impact at LSU. Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire

The 6-foot-3, 208-pound safety was a three-year starter at Boise State, recording 235 tackles, 18 TFLs, 16 pass breakups and five interceptions. Nobody in the Mountain West played more snaps over the past two years than Benefield, with 1,669 snaps on defense and 366 on special teams.

He played a team-high 1,032 snaps as a sophomore during the Broncos' 2024 run to the College Football Playoff, earning defensive MVP honors in their conference title game and logging nine tackles in his CFP debut against Penn State. Benefield built on that with a first-team All-Mountain West season as a junior, then hit the transfer portal and quickly picked LSU.

One GM at another CFP contender said an NFL scout called him to say he had a first-round grade on Benefield and was shocked he was staying in school. Others have heard similar buzz coming out of Baton Rouge.

"We've heard he's an absolute freak and was the best player on the field this spring," an ACC GM said.

"LSU's best defensive player is their safety," an SEC DPP added.

One scouting staffer whose team faced Boise State last season called Benefield one of the best defenders he saw in 2025.

"We really liked Ty," he said. "Very physical run-stopping safety, not as good in coverage, but he can come down and knock some heads off."

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Here's what the Top-10 looked like:
1. CB Leonard Moore, Notre Dame
2. Edge Colin Simmons, Texas
3. Edge Dylan Stewart, South Carolina
4. DT A'Mauri Washington, Oregon
5. DT Ahmad Moten Sr., Miami
6. S Ty Benefield, LSU
7. LB Rasheem Biles, Texas
8. CB Brandon Finney Jr., Oregon
9. DT Will Echoles, Ole Miss
10. S KJ Bolden, Georgia

LSU linebacker Whit Weeks and cornerback DJ Pickett were both honorable mentions for the list.