The early reviews of the Las Vegas Raiders' 2026 draft, led by No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza, have been very positive. After last year's hesitancy by the previous coaching staff to play young players, there's a potential path for many of these incoming rookies to be a factor right away.
Dane Brugler of The Athletic has ranked and graded the 2026 NFL Draft classes 1-32, with a favorite pick and a Day 3 pick who could surprise for each team. The Raiders come in at No. 3 for Brugler, with Mendoza as his favorite pick and wide receiver Malik Benson as the Day 3 pick who could surprise.
"If there is one criticism about the Raiders’ draft class, it’s that they didn’t upgrade the wide receiver position earlier," Brugler wrote. "But Benson has 'see ya' speed and an opportunity to earn his way onto the field as a rookie. He should also make his presence felt as a return man."
Malik Benson could push his way onto the field as a rookie for Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders had so many needs it was impossible to hit them in a way that would've been deemed perfect in this year's draft. The way the board fell, it was possible to inject multiple talented pieces into the secondary, and that was obviously a priority.
But that meant taking a wide receiver was then pushed to Day 3, in the sixth round. Benson was a successful high school sprinter, and he ran a 4.37 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, which makes "see ya" an appropriate way to describe his speed.
At 6-foot and 189 pounds, Benson's not the "X" receiver that would look nice to round out the Raiders' receiving corps. But as ESPN's Ryan McFadden noted, 282 of his team-leading 719 receiving yards at Oregon last season came on vertical routes. That's a nice element to add to this Las Vegas offense.
Based on what he did in a limited run returning punts last season, 161 yards on nine returns, including an 85-yard touchdown return against USC, it seems three FBS teams (he was at Alabama, then Florida State before landing at Oregon) missed a chance to get full use out of Benson as a return man.
It's safe to say that if he proves worthy and with both return man roles seemingly open, the Raiders won't make the same mistake. Benson could immediately be a factor in the return game for Las Vegas, and it has sorely needed a jolt there for years and years.
As for an immediate role in the Raiders' offense as a rookie, Benson joins a deep, but at the same time very wide-open, wide receiver depth chart. So it's absolutely possible that he's able to earn a notable role during training camp, and then produce with all his opportunities when it counts.
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