Malik Benson Commits to Dan Lanning, Oregon After Leaving FSU in CFB Transfer Portal

Former Florida State wide receiver Malik Benson has committed to Oregon in the transfer portal, he told ESPN's Pete Thamel.

Benson decided to join the Ducks in order to play for Dan Lanning's staff and alongside projected starter Dante Moore, he told Thamel.

He was granted an additional year of eligibility thanks to the NCAA's recent decision to grant a waiver to former junior college transfers.

Benson began his career at Hutchinson Community College before committing to Alabama as 247Sports' top-ranked JUCO prospect.

He transferred to Florida State after one season, then re-entered the portal on Dec. 23 after recording 25 catches for 311 yards and a touchdown with the Seminoles.

Benson made 12 catches for 171 yards and a touchdown over the first three games of the season, but saw his targets decrease after that as the Seminoles' quarterback trio combined for just 2,164 total passing yards.

His other top choices were Tennessee, a program bringing back quarterback Nico Iamaleava, and Kansas, where quarterback Jalon Daniels is returning.

Both signal callers boasted more college experience than Moore, who has not started since transferring from UCLA to Oregon ahead of the 2024 season.

But Benson might be hoping to get more targets at Oregon, where the Ducks are looking to replenish their wide receiver room as they prepare to lose their top two wideouts in Tez Johnson and Traeshon Holden to the NFL Draft.

Evan Stewart, who ranked third with 613 receiving yards last season, has yet to announce whether he will return for 2025.

If Stewart does come back to Eugene for his final year of college eligibility, the combination of him and Benson would give the Ducks a speedy wideout duo that could help them replace Johnson's agility. Benson is a former high school track athlete who rank a 10.4-second 100-meter dash, per 247Sports Allen Trieu,

Florida State is meanwhile looking to rebound from a 2-10 finish to the 2024 season with the transfer additions of former Boston College quarterback Thomas Castellanos and former USC wideout Duce Robinson.

The Noles may continue adding to their receiving room in order to replace Benson as Mike Norvell's team looks to bolster their chances of returning to bowl game contention.