Seldom-used at Alabama, Malik Benson poised to take flight at FSU
The questions likely won’t diminish much until Florida State’s opener, when receivers can show how much they’ve learned the offense, built rapport with quarterbacks and the production is evident.
But in an FSU wide receiver room that is wide open for playing time, Malik Benson has separated himself — literally with his speed in 1-on-1s with defensive backs as well as figuratively as an experienced, dependable option. Benson looked good in FSU’s 15 spring practices, and he’s shown his comfort has grown within the offense in the first three camp practices as he’s determined to be in the mix for significant playing time.
“I’m very confident in myself and my ability,” Benson said. “Last year I didn’t think that I was able to showcase what I can do. But this year I’m confident that the coaches are going to put me in positions to do what I need to do for this team.”
Benson has made the routine catches and fought through 1-on-1s to haul in the deep passes, too. The progress from the spring through summer and into camp has been evident.
“You could see the benefit of spring to carrying that over, to where he is now,” FSU coach Mike Norvell said. “It’s just continuing to build all aspects. He’s got a wide-open route tree.
“A lot of the different elements of where he can go, we’ve seen that before. Keon (Coleman) was very similar to that and a guy that could just do so many different things.”
Benson and Coleman have different body types, but it’s quite likely FSU hit again in the portal on a receiver for a third straight year. Johnny Wilson and Mycah Pittman helped energize the offense in 2022, while Wilson and Coleman showed off their skills and displayed a wide catch radius last fall.
Coleman and Wilson are gone to the NFL, leaving a void in productive, experienced options in the receiver room. FSU has veterans like Ja'Khi Douglas, Kentron Poitier and Darion Williamson to go along with a sophomore like Hykeem Williams, but Benson offers perhaps the most well-rounded skill set — height, speed, experience and route-running — at this point of any FSU receiver.
Manage privacy settings
When Benson arrived at Alabama in 2023, he of course had high expectations. It was only natural after racking up 2,152 receiving yards and 21 touchdowns in two years at Hutchinson (Kans.) Community College.
But Benson averaged just under a catch per game, despite starting six games, and his only touchdown in 2023 came in November against UT Chattanooga. He opted to enter the portal and picked Florida State, a program he considered previously and had been recruited by coach Mike Norvell and receivers coach Ron Dugans.
Benson’s final year of college football began with an offseason of work as he drilled down to learn his third offense. At 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds, Benson is capable of doing it all at receiver as a precise route runner with top-end speed. The only thing that could have slowed him was absorbing FSU’s playbook.
“I got with guys like Ja’Khi (Douglas) and Tron (Kentron Poitier) that have been in the system for quite a while to help better my knowledge on the playbook,” Benson said. “When I first came in it was a little hard just because it was brand new. But some things like that you just have to work to get better at it.”
Benson also made it a point to engage with his new teammates from the start. Relationships might be viewed as those built on the field or watching film, but to Benson it’s also just hanging out away from football and building trust.
“One thing about rhythm, it’s really on and off the field,” Benson said. “To get the connection you have to hang out outside of the facility. So during the spring we were hanging out, summertime hanging out. You can kind of see that going into fall camp that the closer we are the better our connection has been.”
When Benson spoke on Friday after practice, he remarked at one point: “When your number is called what are you going to do with that opportunity?” It’s as much a confident statement and a question.
But for an FSU receiver group with so many questions, that confidence — backed up with how Benson has practiced — is a positive for a position group that is seeking its next alpha dog.
Manage privacy settings
Follow The Osceola on Facebook
Follow The Osceola on Twitter
Subscribe to the Osceola's YouTube channel
Subscribe to the Osceola's podcasts on Apple