No one has ever doubted the talent of Raiders rookie wide receiver Malik Benson, but in college his production didn’t match his talent. In Benson’s first NFL training camp, however, he’s making his presence felt.
Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak said Sunday that he’s liking what he’s seeing from Benson, whether it’s building a rapport with fellow rookie Fernando Mendoza, or getting reps with the first-string offense quarterbacked by 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.”
After playing two years of junior college football at Hutchinson Community College in Kansas, Benson was viewed as the No. 1 junior college prospect in the country in 2023. He committed to Alabama, but after catching just 13 passes in 14 games there, he transferred to Florida State in 2024. After one season with the Seminoles, Benson transferred again, finishing his college career at Oregon in 2025. Overall, Benson caught 81 passes for 1,192 yards and eight touchdowns in three years in the NCAA, which would be good numbers for one season, but not an impressive career total for a receiver who played 41 college games over three seasons.
But the Raiders seem eager to give Benson plenty of opportunities to produce, both on offense and on special teams, where he can return kickoffs and punts. He could be a sixth-round pick who makes an impact as a rookie.
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