Oregon WR Malik Benson selected with No. 195 pick in 2026 NFL Draft

If each year of his collegiate career held the same weight, Oregon Ducks wide receiver Malik Benson would surely go undrafted in the 2026 NFL Draft. But that's not what NFL teams see in Benson, who surged to the finish line of his senior season in 2025.

The former Alabama Crimson Tide (2023) and Florida State Seminoles (2024) receiver arrived in Eugene prior to last fall largely with a defined role as a deep threat. He wasn't expected to command a ton of targets across the season, and that remained the case two months into the season.

But then, things began to break Benson's way.

The Ducks' leading receiver, true freshman standout Dakorien Moore, suffered a knee injury prior to the team's game against the Iowa Hawkeyes. Benson stepped into the lineup, delivering with a clutch catch in the final minute of the game-winning drive. He then tallied his first career 100-yard game in the season-finale before notching another in the College Football Playoff First Round.

By season's end, Benson finished as Oregon's leader in receiving yards (716) while finishing second in receptions (43) and touchdowns (six).

His late-season excellence has led the Las Vegas Raiders to select Benson with the No. 195 pick in the 5th round, realizing a lifelong dream for the former Duck.

Benson stands alongside tackle Isaiah World, running back Noah Whittington, tackle Alex Harkey and several others as 2026 NFL Draft hopefuls on the offensive side of the ball for the Ducks as the draft continues into the later rounds.