Two-time All-Conference DB enters college football transfer portal

The college football transfer portal doesn't open for official business until January, but that hasn't stopped many players across the nation from announcing their intention to enter it come 2026.

On Saturday, another defensive gem entered the market out of the Group of Five ranks. On3 posted on X that Boise State safety Ty Benefield would be entering the portal. He spent three seasons with the Broncos and is likely to be a highly-coveted target in the defensive backfield for top programs.

Ty Benefield led the Mountain West conference in solo tackles by the end of his 2025 campaign, notching an even 70 on the season. He also eclipsed the century mark in terms of total tackles with 107 of those. Benefield added 8.5 tackles for loss along with two interceptions, four passes defended, one forced fumble and fumble recovery. That's a havoc-generating player out of the defensive backfield who doubles as the most consistent tackler in a respectable college football conference.

For his career to date, spanning three full seasons, Benefield 235 total tackles and five interceptions. The rising senior also boasts experience in the College Football Playoff after Boise State made a trip in the first-ever 12-team field in 2024. When it comes to PFF grading, Benefield fairs well, having scored respectably in the low-70s and mid-60s through his three seasons.

In need of more Benefield accolades? Good, there are some. Let's start with a cool one, that Benefield was a finalist for the Cornish Award given annually to the top Canadien player in NCAA football. In addition to that prestigious honor, he was the Mountain West Championship MVP in 2025, appeared on back-to-back All-Conference teams in 2024 and 2025 — and he's even a two-time member of the All-Academic team.

Ty Benefield wasn't a heralded recruit coming out of high school, ranking just outside the top 1,300 in Rivals' rankings of the 2023 recruiting class. He was the No. 138 safety and No. 129 player out of the state of California for his cycle. Now, he'll almost certainly be a top-10 defensive back in the transfer portal ahead of his final season of college football.

Coming out of Rancho Santa Margarita, could a move up the ladder to an even larger West Coast brand be the next move for Ty Benefield? He'll likely have the world as his oyster during this recruitment. With high-level Group of Five experience, and heck, CFP experience, plus the incredible stat sheet, Benefield is liable to draw attention from schools in every single major college football conference.

More on College Football HQ