Malik Benson Provides Honest Assessment of Combine Performance At Oregon's Pro Day

EUGENE – Oregon Ducks wide receiver Malik Benson elevated his NFL Draft stock during his appearance at the Combine earlier this month. Benson continued to show off in front of scouts when he returned to Oregon for the program’s 2026 Pro Day.

The wide receiver got candid after Pro Day about the NFL Draft process and what he thinks he’s proved to scouts.

Wide Receiver Malik Benson Opens Up About 40-Yard Dash Time

oregon ducks malik benson nfl draft combine pro day wide receiver brock thomas gary bryant transfer portal dan lanning — Oregon wide receiver Malik Benson carries the ball 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

Benson ranked fourth among the 16 wide receivers participating in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. He clocked in at 4.37 seconds.

“I wish I could've run faster, but 4.3 is 4.3. It definitely moved me up on people's boards,” Benson said at Pro Day. “I was really able to showcase my speed. I know I'm a fast guy, but without that 40, you never know how fast you are. Just being able to hit 4.3 was a really big accomplishment for myself, and just to show teams that I play fast, but I have the speed on the 40, too."

The wide receiver posted impressive numbers during his senior season at Oregon. After transferring to the Ducks, Benson recorded 43 receptions for 719 yards and six touchdowns. He also displayed his ability to show up for teams in crunch time with numerous clutch performances throughout 2025.

Benson’s 40-yard dash likely added extra incentive for teams to move him up their draft boards. Speed is a key trait in wide receivers heading to the next level, so his time should’ve only helped his chances of getting drafted.

Malik Benson's Pro Day Performance

bryce bottcher pro day oregon ducks nfl draft emmanuel pregnon dillon thieneman kenyon sadiq gary bryant jadon canady — Wide receiver Malik Benson speaks to the media at Oregon Pro Day on Mar. 17, 2026 | Lily Crane Oregon Ducks On SI

Benson didn’t run the 40-yard dash a second time at Pro Day, but he did participate in position drills on Tuesday. Oregon backup quarterback Brock Thomas threw passes to Benson and Gary Bryant Jr. during wide receiver drills.

“I'm a smaller guy, but I'm fluid in and out of my brakes. I got a lot of speed, too,” Benson said about what he showed scouts. “So, some guys with good speed, they're not as good at going in and out of their brakes, and then just to be able to showcase my routes with Brock. Shout out to Brock for just coming out here and throwing to us. But the scouts gave me some routes to run, and I felt like I did a really good job. So being able to crush it out there definitely builds some confidence.”

Benson added that he was glad he didn’t have the extra stress of running the 40 again at Pro Day. He told the media on Tuesday that he’s been in contact with all 32 NFL teams and that he expects more pre-draft workouts and Zoom calls over the coming weeks ahead of the draft.

Most draft boards project Benson to be a Day 3 selection and go somewhere between the fifth and seventh rounds. He said he’s not too worried about that, though.

“I don't pay too much attention, just because I remember looking at it last year and seeing some guys that were supposed to go top five and dropped all the way to the second round,” Benson said. “So just knowing that, shoot, the people that are making the boards aren't the ones that are making that final decision.”

“And I've tried not to get too much into that,” he continued. “Just because I know when you get into looking at things like that, obviously I know that I feel like I'm better than what some of them mocks can say, but end of the day, I'm only gonna know when the draft come.”