Dante Moore Turns Heads With Reaction to Malik Benson's NFL Draft Selection

The Oregon Ducks took the field at Autzen Stadium on Saturday afternoon for their annual spring football game in front of fans. While the game was going on, the final day of the 2026 NFL Draft was still in progress.

Former Oregon wide receiver Malik Benson was selected in the sixth round by the Las Vegas Raiders. Ducks quarterback Dante Moore was thrilled and was celebrating on the sidelines at the spring game after hearing his former wideout was drafted.

Dante Moore Celebrates Malik Benson Being Drafted

Oregon Ducks Dante Moore Quarterback 2026 NFL Draft Malik Benson Wide Receiver Las Vegas Raiders Spring Game Autzen Stadium — Oregon’s Dante Moore celebrates during the first half of he Oregon Spring Game at Autzen Stadium in Eugene April 25, 2026 | Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Dante Moore celebrated during Oregon’s spring game after the news that Malik Benson had been drafted by the Raiders. Take a look at the video below.

Dante Moore was fired up after seeing former teammate Malik Benson get drafted to the Raiders 🤩 pic.twitter.com/b3gsO3juVy
— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) April 25, 2026

Moore talked to reporters after the game about what made that moment so special.

“Malik, everybody knows how we were last year. That’s like my best friend,” Moore said. “He made a lot of great catches and that’s someone that travels on vacations with. Know his family very well. He’s always at my house. We went to Fisherman’s Market a lot. That was out spot every Sunday.”

Moore also talked about a conversation he had with Benson earlier in the day over text message.

“I texted him this morning ‘Your time is coming, god-willingly. He said ‘love you’ and I was love you too man. I’m just glad that he got drafted,” Moore said. “When I heard the noise, I’m like, has to be him…I just started running around and felt like a little kid on Christmas.”

Malik Benson bounced around different schools during his college football career that spanned from 2021-2025. Benson started out playing for Hutchinson Community College from 2021-2022. He transferred to the Alabama Crimson Tide for the 2023 season. After 13 receptions for 162 yards and a touchdown for the Tide, Benson entered the transfer portal and went to the Florida State Seminoles.

With Florida State in 2024, Benson had 25 receptions for 311 yards and one touchdown. He entered the portal again that following offseason and transferred to Oregon.

As a Duck in 2025, Benson had by far his most productive season. He hauled in 43 receptions for 719 yards and six touchdowns. The 6-0, 189 pound Benson entered the 2026 NFL Draft and was eventually taken on day three by the Raiders with the No. 195 overall pick.

Benson will now join a Las Vegas team that has a new face of their franchise with rookie quarterbacks Fernando Mendoza. The former Indiana Hoosiers star and 2025 Heisman Trophy winner was selected No. 1 overall by the Raiders.

Another quarterback that the Raiders brought in this offseason is veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins. Benson will be catching passes from both of them once training camp gets underway.

The Raiders are in a rebuild, coming off a 3-14 2025 season. It will be interesting to see how their young players do under first year coach Klint Kubiak.

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