Las Vegas Raiders rookie wide receiver Malik Benson is turning heads at his first NFL training camp, earning praise from the coaching staff despite a college career where statistical output never fully matched his perceived talent. Head coach Klint Kubiak said Sunday that Benson has made a noticeable early impression, highlighting the receiver’s growing rapport with fellow rookie Fernando Mendoza and his inclusion in practice reps with the first-string offense led by quarterback Kirk Cousins.
“Time on task helps everybody get better,” Kubiak said. “Malik has jumped in there with the ones at times, he’s earned those reps, but he’s got to stay humble and stay hungry.”
Benson’s path to the NFL has been unconventional. After two seasons at Hutchinson Community College in Kansas, where he was ranked the nation’s top junior-college prospect in 2023, he signed with Alabama. He caught just 13 passes in 14 games with the Crimson Tide before transferring to Florida State for the 2024 season. A subsequent move to Oregon for 2025 concluded a three-year NCAA tenure that spanned 41 games and produced 81 receptions for 1,192 yards and eight touchdowns — numbers that would be respectable for a single season but fell short of expectations for a player of his billing.
The Raiders, however, appear willing to bet on Benson’s athletic upside. The organization views him as a versatile asset who can contribute immediately on offense and in the return game on special teams. If he continues his current trajectory, the sixth-round selection could emerge as a rare late-draft rookie capable of making an early impact.
With the preseason approaching, Benson’s ability to translate practice performance into game production will be the next benchmark. For now, the Raiders’ coaching staff is encouraged by what they see: a talented receiver finally finding a system where his skill set can flourish.
