Malik Benson Details What Surprised Him About Oregon Quarterback Dante Moore

A deep dive into the relationship between Oregon quarterback Dante Moore and his former leading receiver Malik Benson shows that Moore is dedicated to more than being just a great football player.

Dec 20, 2025; Eugene, OR, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore (5) looks on before the game against the James Madison Dukes at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore's evolution in Eugene is noticeable to anyone around the program. He's grown from a soft-spoken teenager into a leader of men, with on-field talents that make NFL evaluators excited for the 2027 NFL Draft.

Just how unique is Moore? A deep dive into the relationship between the quarterback and his former leading receiver Malik Benson shows that Moore is dedicated to more than being just a great football player. In fact, when Benson showed up in Eugene after transferring from Florida State, Moore surprised him with sheer effort he puts in to get to know his teammates on a personal level.

Dec 20, 2025; Eugene, OR, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore (5) looks on before the game against the James Madison Dukes at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

Now with the Las Vegas Raiders after being selected in the 2026 NFL Draft, Benson offered a revealing look behind the scenes during a recent interview with Oregon Ducks on SI reporter Bri Amaranthus.

Malik Benson On What Makes Dante Moore Special

Benson detailed that it’s the effort Moore makes outside the facility with his teammates that makes him different: taking out the entire receiving room to dinner or making time to just get to know one another. Benson said he never had a quarterback go to the lengths that Moore did.

“There was times where I'll hear a knock on my door, and (Moore) would just pull up, and he'll just chill there for hours. We’d just be talking about a whole bunch of things. Honestly, I feel like that's why me and him were so close," Benson told Amaranthus.

Benson really appreciated that Moore didn’t utilize their hanging out time to talk routes or game plans. Instead, he’d ask questions about his background or family. Benson always felt 100 percent comfortable in a no-judgement zone with his quarterback.

Oregon Ducks receiver Malik Benson | Oregon Ducks on SI Jake Bunn

Actually, he stated that the vulnerability that Moore has with his teammates is one of the main reasons he felt the Ducks pushed deep into the College Football Playoff in 2025-26.

“For him to be able to put his guard down and trust me and I'm able to do the same with him. I feel like that's why we were really good team last year, because when your quarterback can be vulnerable and tell everybody what was going on in his life - with the mental health thing that just came out - like for him to be able to go in and just have enough courage to say things like that, it’s just really impressive,” Benson said.

Moore is open about his deep mental health struggles, and has now become an advocate to help spread awareness for others experiencing the same. He wrote a letter to the Oregon Governor, asking for more mental health resources in the state.

“In the game of football, everybody's like, 'you have to be so tough.' But I realized people are going through issues. We’re more than a football player. Everybody's dealing with their own things. (Moore) is from Detroit. I'm from Kansas City. So (Eugene) is super far. We're super far from our family. So like us being able to unite as one and be our own little family. I just felt like that's just what makes him unique," Benson said.

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

Malik Benson And Dante Moore's Friendship

Benson and Moore became great friends in just one season. Benson was drafted while Moore was playing in Oregon's spring football game. As the news flashed across the big board at Autzen Stadium in an announcement to the fans of the good news of Benson's selection, Moore celebrated, jumping up and down and dancing on the sideline for who he called his "best friend."

Benson’s praise also reinforces the bigger storyline that Moore has become a leader in the Ducks locker room that can help lead Oregon to contend in a difficult Big Ten Conference this fall. Oregon receiver Evan Stewart also detailed a story that shows how deeply Moore cares about his team, when he broke into tears at the news that Stewart's season was over due to injury.

Oregon coach Dan Lanning has four DNA traits for Oregon: connection, growth, toughness, sacrifice. It's evident that Moore is exceeding in the connection category.

Oregon wide receiver Malik Benson runs during Oregon Pro Day on March 17, 2026, at the Moshofsky Center in Eugene, Oregon. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Notably, Benson also predicted that Oregon will have a “three-headed monster” at receiver in Evan Stewart, Dakorien Moore and Jeremiah McClellan. He said the three could post more than 800 receiving yards each, with Moore throwing them the ball.

Benson became a unique fan favorite in Eugene after just one season at Oregon, stepping up when the Ducks suffered key injuries at the position. In his one season with the Ducks, Benson recorded 43 receptions for 719 yards and six touchdowns. He also had two 100-yard receiving games and 12 multi-reception games as a Duck.

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