Tye Niekamp LB Illinois State |
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| Jersey: #46 PLAY STYLE: MULI-ROLE LB | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 11/02/2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2027 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FORTY time: 4.69 seconds (56%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Jersey: #46 | |
| PLAY STYLE: MULI-ROLE LB | |
| Last Updated: 11/02/2026 | |
| Draft Year: 2027 | |
| Forty time: 4.69 seconds (56%*) | |
| Overall Rating: |
62.6 / 100
|
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|---|---|---|
| Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced | ||
| Offense Rating: |
|
60% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Tackling: |
|
57% |
| Pass Rush: |
|
59% |
| Run Defense: |
|
75% |
| Coverage: |
|
56% |
|
DRAFT PROJECTION:
UDFA
Overall Rank:
#1154
Position rank:
#67 (LB)
|
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| College Games: 50 College Snaps: 2992 | ||
| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Raul Aguirre Jr. - Miami |
|
86% |
| Chris Oats - Kentucky |
|
82% |
| Sam M'Pemba - Texas A&M |
|
81% |
Draft Profile: Bio
Tye Niekamp was an all-state linebacker at Normal Community High School in Illinois, played in the Shrine Game and also played basketball. His father, Travis, is the defensive coordinator at Illinois State, and his brother, Dexter, is also a linebacker for the Redbirds.Niekamp redshirted in 2022 and made 11 starts in 2023, earning Missouri Valley defensive freshman of the year honors. He intercepted four passes in 2024 and was named an FCS All-American. In 2025 he was a consensus first-team All-American and the conference's top defender, and Illinois State reached the FCS national championship game against Montana State.
Niekamp has started all nine games in 2026 and has 32 stops. He sacked the quarterback twice at Northern Illinois and twice against Murray State, when he also intercepted a pass, and he has five sacks in all. Head coach Brock Spack calls him the quarterback of the defense. Twenty of the 23 throws into his coverage have been completed.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Consensus first-team FCS All-American during the 2025 season
- Two sacks in the road game at Northern Illinois
- Picked off a pass and added two sacks against Murray State
- Coach calls him the quarterback of the Illinois State defense
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Production has come almost entirely at the FCS level
- Allowed 20 completions on 23 targets this season
- Missed 23 tackles over the course of the 2025 season
- Unremarkable forty for an FCS linebacker moving up
- Fifth-year senior who will be an older prospect
Scouting Report: Summary
Niekamp is a highly decorated, productive linebacker and one of the standout defenders in the FCS. He was a consensus All-American in 2025 and has five sacks this season.However, almost all of his production has come against FCS opponents, and passes into his area have usually been completed. His athletic testing is ordinary.
Overall, Niekamp is an accomplished linebacker who must show he can handle a jump in competition. He projects as a priority free agent and could help on coverage units.
How other scouting services rate Tye Niekamp (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
798.0
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
89.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.