As preparations ramp up for the Oregon Ducks ahead of the 2025 season, Malik Benson , a transfer wide receiver from Florida State , has impressed head coach Dan Lanning . More specifically, Benson's speed.
"Explosive playability," Lanning said, following Wednesday's practice. "I mean, Malik is fast. He is fast, and you see it on the field. He has a lot of explosives. He's created a lot of those. He's certainly a deep ball threat."
Amid top receiver Evan Stewart 's potentially season-long absence due to a knee injury, Benson is amongst a group of potential starters in Dakorien Moore , Justius Lowe and Jeremiah McClellan . None have finished a season with more than 400 receiving yards, with Moore entering as a true freshman.
Lanning continued, raving about Benson's mindset and his journey that led him to Oregon.
"He's competitive," he said. "He has competitive spirit. Last night, we had a hot seat, you know, for our team, and he was one of the guys in the hot seat. He got to share a little bit of his story. I always think it's good when our guys can connect with the players on their team and find out a little bit more about him. And he has a great story to tell. So really excited to see what he can do is for us this season."
Benson began his career at Hutchinson Community College in Kansas , where he spent two seasons before transferring to Alabama in 2023. He appeared in all 14 games that season, catching 13 passes for 162 yards and a touchdown.
From there, he entered the transfer portal, this time landing at Florida State . He finished last season with 25 catches for 311 yards and a score.
Now a member of the Ducks for his senior season, Benson's talent is flashing through in what could potentially be a breakout season for the Kansas native. Oregon will likely need Benson, a four-star transfer per 247 Sports, to have a significant role as a speedster in the receiver room in 2025 — something he's showing he can be during fall camp.
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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Malik Benson earning role as Oregon Ducks' deep-ball threat in 2025
