While competition is being preached in the Las Vegas Raiders' building during training camp, fans can rest assured that, no matter what happens during practices or the preseason, this side of an injury, Tre Tucker and Jalen Nailor will be the two starting receivers in Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season.
After them, things get a bit more complicated. Second-year players Jack Bech and Dont'e Thornton Jr. are expected to take a step this offseason, but sixth-round rookie Malik Benson has leveraged a strong spring and came into training camp with the kind of consistency that Klint Kubiak covets.
Benson hasn't necessarily been the star of camp, but he has been a beacon of growth. The unlikely Day 3 draft pick continues to stack days in Las Vegas, and it is looking more and more like he could be a serious candidate for that No. 3 receiver spot behind Tucker and Nailor that is still up for grabs.
Late-round rookie Malik Benson could be Raiders' WR3 come season
On the first day of training camp, Benson showed some glimpses. He continued to build his rapport with No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza, nearly scoring a touchdown at the end of practice before connecting with Aidan O'Connell on a long catch-and-run in the 11-on-11 period.
Offensive coordinator Andrew Janocko then challenged Benson even more after that session when speaking to the media.
"I want to see his explosiveness come to life," Janocko told reporters. "We're going to want to maximize what he does, how he comes off the ball, be able to challenge him mentally and do different things with him, and just see him grasp the offense and take it from the meeting room to the field."
It is safe to say that the new staff in Las Vegas is doing just that. According to multiple reports, in the following practice, Benson got an opportunity to roll with the first group at times after spending the first day with the 2s and 3s. Although he still appeared to be option No. 5, he didn't let that faze him.
He connected with Mendoza the following day yet again, this time finding paydirt on a back-shoulder throw, a specialty of the Raiders' franchise quarterback. To be fair, another reporter said that, while Benson made an incredible grab, it was ruled out of bounds. Others said that the call was iffy.
Mendoza and O'Connell haven't been fully consistent in camp, either, which has limited some of Benson's chances. But Benson is getting other opportunities, even in the kick return game, and according to Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer, the perception of him in the building is high.
"One darkhorse to watch would be sixth-round pick Malik Benson, who has made a bunch of plays, proven himself as a worker, and plays with a chip on his shoulder," Breer noted.
One reporter even said that Benson's stock is up after a handful of training camp practices, as he's "had several big catches with the second unit and repped some with the ones as well." It remained a question whether Benson, who isn't the biggest, would continue his prowess when the pads came on.
According to various reports from the first day of padded practices, he did just fine. Benson caught a pass from Mendoza on an over route, which led to a long gain. He thrived in 1-on-1s and continues to be labeled as a camp winner and potential depth chart riser.
Don't just take our word for it, or even the beat writers' word for it, though. Ask his teammate, Tucker, who is the undisputed leader in the wide receiver room.
"Man, I'm so excited for him because as an older guy coming to the league with the guys that I had in my room, the one thing you want to see is a young guy that wants to get better. They’re not going through the motions, and Leek [Malik] comes in every single day and wants to get better," Tucker told the media. "And he is getting better every play, every rep, and he can run all day. That's something that I tell him that makes you super here in a way, because if you can run all day, you can play fast, like there's a spot for you here. So, I'm excited for him. I have him under my wing just to keep him going because I know what it's like to be a rookie. I'm very excited for him, and I think he's going to be a very big part of us this year too.”
Nailor echoed this sentiment.
"He's a young kid, he has a ways to go, but he's asking questions, he's asking the right questions. He wants to be better, he wants to play, he wants to be on this team, he wants to show himself," Nailor said to the press. "So, just having that type of mindset as a young rookie, it means a lot. Just to have him asking questions, to me, it shows that he cares. I care as well, so I want to give him all the pointers that I can with whatever he's asking."
Kubiak said it best, though.
"He's got a good head start, playing good football. He has a lot in front of him and a lot that he needs to prove to us."
Day by day, Benson is doing just that. And with crickets chirping on the progress or prowess of the other wide receivers in Las Vegas, it may not be long until Benson finds himself in a legitimate role in the early going.
Add us as a preferred source on Google