Malik Benson's visit has been lost in the shuffle.
It's understandable that most of the pre-draft attention given to the Kansas City Chiefs has been around their visits with projected top-10 picks. Chiefs general manager Brett Veach has never had the chance to make a top-10 pick of his own, and now he's got the No. 9 overall pick as the consolation prize for having suffered through a 6-11 season in 2025.
Because the Chiefs can't afford to miss with their decisions atop the draft, they've spent time hanging out with the likes of Texas Tech pass rusher David Bailey, Miami edge Rueben Bain Jr., Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate, and the like. Which is why their meeting with Benson received so little notice.
Malik Benson's visit deserves more attention
A less-heralded member of this year's class, Benson is expected to go on the third and final day of the three-day event. The Oregon wide receiver was a breakout player in 2025 after Dakorien Moore was sidelined by injury and finished with a team-leading 43 receptions for 716 receiving yards and 6 touchdowns. He earned All-Big Ten Honorable Mention in the process after averaging 16.7 yards/reception—good for fourth overall in the conference.
Our friend Ryan Fowler recently broke the news of Benson's virtual visit with the Chiefs and said, "GM Brett Veach, OC Eric Bieniemy & WRs coach Chad O’Shea are expected to be on the call, per source." Fowler also noted that the Seattle Seahawks were interested in Benson as well.
Benson is a local product from Lansing, Kansas who started at the JuCo level and became the No. 1-ranked prospect nationally before committing to Alabama. He would go on to play single seasons with the Crimson Tide and then Florida State before finishing his eligibility at Oregon, giving him a well-traveled path to the NFL via three major programs.
Speed makes Benson a day-three threat
A former high-school track standout, Benson's elite speed will certainly earn him looks from NFL teams after running a 40-yard dash in 4.37 seconds at the Combine. It also helps that he flashed some real potential this season for the first time as a returner. He only handled 9 punts, but he took one to the house and averaged 17.9 yards/return overall for the Ducks last season.
Even if the Chiefs stay with the picks they have now, they have plenty of ammo to consider Benson on day three of the draft. The Chiefs currently own the following selections in rounds 4-7:
- Round 4 - No. 109 overall
- Round 5 - No. 148 overall
- Round 5 - No. 169 overall (via L.A. Rams)
- Round 5 - No. 176 overall (compensatory)
- Round 6 - No. 210 overall (via L.A. Rams)
Benson would be a long-term depth play for the Chiefs at a position that reads thin after this season. Rashee Rice is set to be a free agent, leaving Xavier Worthy, Tyquan Thornton, and Jalen Royals as the only players set for 2027. Two of those are also set to potentially leave after that, so getting one or even two wideouts in this draft would help establish a talented floor.
If Benson's special teams success can be replicated at the next level, he's a worthy flyer with his elite speed as the Chiefs search for help at receiver.