Bronco Breakdown: Boise State’s deepest position is led by trio of experienced safeties

Editor’s note: This is the ninth installment in a series breaking down Boise State’s likely starters and the top players in the Mountain West at each position.

A potential Heisman candidate leads Boise State’s deep group of running backs and the Broncos have plenty of talent at linebacker, but neither is the team’s deepest position. That title goes to safety.

Boise State’s top three safeties have played in a combined 118 games since 2021. The Broncos also have a rising star who burst onto the scene last year as a true freshman, and a veteran cornerback has moved to safety this year.

The team’s likely starters again this year are sixth-year senior Alexander Teubner and fifth-year senior Rodney Robinson.

Teubner has played in 38 games and started 16 since 2021. He made 11 starts last season and led the Broncos with 85 tackles. He was named Defensive MVP of Boise State’s win over UNLV in the Mountain West championship game after posting 10 tackles, one tackle for loss and a forced fumble.

Robinson has played in 40 games and started 29 since 2021. He finished last season No. 4 at Boise State with 61 tackles and added an interception. He posted a season-high seven tackles in the Mountain West championship game.

Robinson has started at safety the past three years, but he could also see time at nickel this year, according to Boise State safeties coach and co-defensive coordinator Tyler Stockton.

The third member of what may be the most experienced trio of safeties in the Mountain West is senior Seyi Oladipo, who has played in 40 games and started 12 since 2021. He moved to nickel last season and finished No. 2 at Boise State with 70 tackles and added 8.5 tackles for loss, one sack, one interception and four pass breakups.

“I have a lot of older guys in the room who have helped me out a lot,” said Stockton, who was hired in December. “It’s a tight group and a talented group, and I’m excited to see what they can do.”

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The youngest member of the Broncos’ likely starters at safety may have the highest ceiling. Ty Benefield played in 13 games and started five last season as a true freshman.

The 6-foot-2, 200-pound native of Irvine, California, notched the first sack of his career against North Dakota and added two more against Utah State. He snagged the first interception of his career against Wyoming, posted a career-high eight tackles in the LA Bowl against UCLA and finished the season with 46 tackles and five pass breakups.

Benefield is sure to see plenty of snaps again this year because Stockton said he can play both safety positions and nickel if needed.

“He can be as good as he wants, and it’s my job as the coach to get him there,” Stockton said. “He has such a high ceiling, and I need to make sure he reaches all of his potential while he’s here.”

Bronco Breakdown: The Mountain West’s top returning pass rusher leads Boise State on edge

Physically imposing redshirt junior Zion Washington will be one of the Broncos’ top backups. The 6-1, 202-pound native of Frisco, Texas, can play nickel or safety. He has played in 27 games since 2021 and made three starts last season, finishing the year with 32 tackles and a sack.

Former cornerback Kaonohi Kaniho moved to safety this year. The fifth-year senior has played in 40 games and started 22 since 2020. He posted a career-high 26 tackles and two interceptions in 2021, and like Washington, he can play safety or nickel.

With so much experience and talent on the back end of the defense, don’t be surprised to see Boise State spend plenty of time this season in the dime package, which is an alignment that features six defensive backs.

Projected depth chart

Starters: S Alexander Teubner, 6-yr., 6-1, 197, Season (Oregon) High; S Rodney Robinson, 5-yr., 5-8, 181, Cajon High, San Bernadino, California; N Seyi Oladipo, Sr., 5-11, 202, Eaglecrest High, Centennial, Colorado.

Backups: S Ty Benefield, So., 6-2, 200, Crean Lutheran High, Irvine, California; S Kaonohi Kaniho, 5-yr., 5-10, 186, Kahuku (Hawaii) High; N Zion Washington, R-Jr., 6-1, 202, Reedy High, Frisco, Texas.

Sleeper: S Milo Lopez, Sr., 6-1, 200, La Serna High/Cerritos College, Whittier, California.

Mountain West safeties to watch

Jack Howell, Colorado State — Howell led the Rams and ranked No. 3 in the Mountain West last season with 114 tackles. The 6-foot, 200-pound senior has earned first-team all-conference honors the past two seasons, and he made the preseason all-conference team this month. Paired with fifth-year senior Henry Blackburn, who was an honorable mention all-conference pick last season, Howell is part of one of the top safety duos in the Mountain West.

Ike Larsen, Utah State — Larsen ranked No. 2 at Utah State and No. 7 in the Mountain West last season with 103 tackles. He also led the Aggies with four interceptions and finished the season with 4.5 tackles for loss, six pass breakups and two blocked kicks. The 5-10, 195-pound junior was named first-team All-Mountain West last year and earned an honorable mention nod in 2022. He was named to the preseason all-conference team this month.

Wyatt Ekeler, Wyoming — The younger brother of NFL running back Austin Ekeler, Wyatt was a star running back in his own right in high school. He rushed for 1,435 yards and 22 touchdowns as a senior at Windsor High in Colorado, but he moved to safety at Wyoming and has become one of the Mountain West’s best at the position. The fifth-year senior has played in 37 games and started 22 since 2021. He was named honorable mention all-conference last season after finishing No. 3 at Wyoming with 77 tackles, and he added 5.5 tackles for loss, two sacks and two interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown.

Peter Manuma, Hawaii — The 6-foot, 195-pound junior has earned honorable mention All-Mountain West honors the past two seasons. Last fall, he led Hawaii with 87 tackles and three interceptions, and he was named Mountain West Defensive Player of the Week after posting 12 tackles and an interception against Air Force. Manuma led the Rainbow Warriors’ defensive backs with 70 tackles as a true freshman in 2022.

Jonathan Baldwin, UNLV — Baldwin finished No. 3 at UNLV last year with 77 tackles despite missing three games because of an injury. He also added four tackles for loss, seven pass breakups and two interceptions in his second season as a starter. The 6-1, 200-pound senior posted a season-high 12 tackles in the Mountain West championship game against Boise State and added 11 in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl against Kansas.