It’s no secret that the wide receiver room for the Las Vegas Raiders is incredibly thin.

With uncertainty looming about who will be Las Vegas’ starting wide receivers when they open the season against the Miami Dolphins on September 13, it appears that sixth-round pick Malik Benson has impressed in training camp thus far.

Benson has reportedly been showing chemistry with Raiders backup quarterback and reigning Heisman Trophy Winner Fernando Mendoza, as well as veteran tight end Michael Mayer.

“I love him. That’s one of my guys,” Mayer said of Benson. “He’s got great hands. He’s quick. He’s moving up, you know? He was in there with us for two-minute [drills] today, and I love when he’s in there with me.”

Mayer’s praise for Benson continued as he said he’s great at communicating, working hard, and that when he sees him line up at receiver, he feels comfortable, as Benson is someone he trusts.

Mayer, known as a great blocking tight end, has been a key special teams player for the Raiders over the last three seasons. He has been working alongside Benson on special teams as the rookie receiver has been fielding punts.

“He’s just a young man that’s coming here ready to compete for a job,” said Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak. “And when a guy can make plays on offense and then be a core teams player, that says a lot to his teammates about what he’s made out of.”

Before his NFL journey began, Benson bounced across the college football landscape after he arrived at Alabama in 2023 as a junior college transfer. He went on to play at two more schools before the Raiders selected him in the sixth round of the NFL Draft last April.

In his senior year at Oregon last season, Benson had a breakout year, appearing in 15 games and catching 43 passes for 719 yards and six touchdowns.

Standing at 6-foot-1, and weighing 195 pounds, Benson is known for his explosiveness and ability to stretch the field.

Last year, Benson showed off those talents in a game against the Washington Huskies.

The Ducks drew up a post route for Benson, and quarterback Dante Moore threw a bullet in his direction with a group of defenders in front of him.

Once the ball was in his hands, Benson was off to the races, running past defenders for a 64-yard touchdown to help the Ducks edge past Washington 26-14.

Now in his first NFL training camp, Benson is hoping to replicate the success he had in college football in the pros.