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Malik Benson

Malik Benson

Oregon · 6'1" · 195 lbs · Age 22
Buzz Score
1.4
Mentions (7d)
1
Sources (7d)
1
Avg ADP
60.9
Mock Appearances
6
40-Yard Dash
4.37s
Overall RAS
7.6

Scouting Report

AI Analysis · claude-opus-4-7 · 2026-05-03

Bottom Line

11th-percentile production model meets Day 3 capital (Round 6, Pick 195) into a Raiders WR room with no clear alpha — this is a deep-dynasty dart, not a roster-builder. Avoid in 1QB formats; only fireable in 4th-round superflex or deeper as a speed-stash lottery ticket.

Team Fit & Opportunity

Las Vegas opens 110 vacated targets but the pecking order behind Brock Bowers is unsettled rather than vacant — Dont'e Thornton, Tre Tucker, Jalen Nailor, and Jack Bech all have ahead-of-the-line claims. Benson profiles as a field-stretcher per PlayerProfiler's draft recap, which overlaps directly with Thornton and Tucker. Kirk Cousins under center helps timing-route receivers more than vertical-only types. Realistic Year 1: WR5/gunner role, sub-30% snap share absent injury.

Talent Profile

The 4.37 forty is the headline and basically the entire pitch — everything else lags. A 7.6 RAS with a 32.5" vert and 122" broad means the speed isn't backed by the explosion you'd want from a true burner, and the 11th-percentile production score reflects a college career that never translated the timed speed into separation or volume. Route versatility (16th), WAA (14th), and YPRR over expected (14th) all paint a one-trick vertical profile. Straight-line gear is real; the route tree to weaponize it is not.

Strengths

  • Vertical speed: 4.37 forty at 195 lbs gives him a translatable NFL trait as a designated 9-route specialist.
  • Size/speed combo: 6'1"/195 with sub-4.4 wheels is a body type Chip Kelly–era Raiders staffs have historically carved snaps for on play-action shots.
  • Late-capital cost: Pick 195 means zero acquisition cost in dynasty — pure upside swing if the speed plays.

Concerns

  • Production profile is a red flag: 11th-percentile overall and 14th-percentile YPRR over expected means he didn't separate or finish even at the college level despite the speed.
  • Route tree is narrow: 16th-percentile route versatility caps him as a situational vertical piece, not a three-level threat.
  • Depth chart traffic: Thornton and Tucker already occupy the speed/vertical role, and Bech was a higher-capital investment — Benson is WR5 on arrival.

Historical Comp Read

Randall St. Felix (1% model) and Stephen Louis (7%) are the top comps, and neither sniffed an NFL roster of consequence. Te'Vailance Hunt is the same archetype — toolsy small-school speed with no production translation. The comp signal here is loud and unkind: this profile of fast-but-unproductive Day 3 wideouts converts to fantasy relevance at a single-digit rate. The speed is real; history says the speed alone isn't enough.

Outlook

Year 1: special teams plus 10-15 offensive snaps a game, WR80+ range, undrafted in most redrafts. Three-year arc: most likely outcome is camp-body churn off rosters by 2028. Catalyst is a Thornton or Tucker injury opening up the vertical role plus a Cousins willing to throw the deep ball — that path gets him to flex-bye relevance. Trigger to cut: a single training camp where Bech or a 2027 rookie leapfrogs him.

NFL Combine Metrics

40-Yard
4.37s
Vertical
32.5"
Broad Jump
122"
Hand
8.625"
Arm
31.875"
Speed Score
10
Burst Score
5.2

College Production

Yards/Game
47.7
SeasonGamesRecRec YdsRec TDRush YdsRush TD
202515437196-40
20241225311120
20231013162100

Mock Draft History (6 appearances)

63
Fantasy Football Rookie Dynasty Rankings
1QB · 2026-05-06
53
Superflex Rookie Mock Draft: How Many Picks Before Things Get Ugly?
SUPERFLEX · 2026-05-01
54
Fantasy Pros 2026 Dynasty Rookie Mock (5 rounds)
SUPERFLEX · 2026-04-30
43
Sleeper Search Rank ADP - 2026-04-26
ALL · 2026-04-26
90
RotoBaller Dynasty Superflex/2QB Rookie Rankings (Pre-Draft)
SUPERFLEX · 2026-04-21
49
DraftSharks 5-Round 1QB Dynasty Rookie Mock Draft (April 2026)
1QB · 2026-04-10

Recent Mentions

Walter Football — "...iams, WR, Jaguars 61. Lewis Bond, WR, Texans 62. Kaden Wetjen, WR, Steelers 63. Malik Benson, WR, Raiders 64. Nate Bo"
FantasyLife — "...considering he joins a crowded group of RBs consisting of Tyler Allgeier, Trey Benson and James Conner. That said, it"
FantasyLife — ".... (Poor guy can’t catch a break.) I have no concerns about James Conner or Trey Benson siphoning off valuable touches"
Establish The Run — "...na S Dalton Johnson 5 (175). California CB Hezekiah Masses 6 (195). Oregon WR Malik Benson 7 (229). NC State DT Br"
PlayerProfiler Articles — "...Bowers) The Raiders didn’t meaningfully add to their pass-catching group. Malik Benson , the only wide receiver"
Campus2Canton — "...cy, he signed with the Cardinals, a team that already had James Conner and Trey Benson, but he seemed poised to, fina"
Pro Football Network — "...ire him in a committee with the likes of Tyler Allgeier, James Conner, and Trey Benson. He is the safest player in th"
Establish The Run — "...na S Dalton Johnson 5 (175). California CB Hezekiah Masses 6 (195). Oregon WR Malik Benson 7 (229). NC State DT Br"
RotoBaller — "...Roush | TE 10. 62 | J'Mari Taylor | RB 10. 63 | Nate Boerkircher | TE 10. 64 | Malik Benson | WR 11. 65 | Reggie Virg"
Pro Football Network — "...d Trey Zuhn III Jermod McCoy Mike Washington Jr. Dalton Johnson Hezekiah Masses Malik Benson Brandon Cleveland 6) At"
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