The Las Vegas Raiders ended up getting one of the best players in the entire draft that most fans don't even know about.
The Las Vegas Raiders took nickel safety Treydan Stukes
in the second round, addressing maybe their biggest roster need.
The Raiders have three safeties on the roster: Isaiah Pola-Mao
, Jeremy Chinn
, and Tristin McCollum
. Here's the catch, though-all of them are box-like safeties, doing their best work closer to the line of scrimmage and struggling in coverage. Additionally, each of the three is on a one-year deal this season, making it unlikely that all will return next year. Stukes can do what they can't, and he showed that in one of the best college football plays you will see over the last few years.
If you really want to know what Stukes can do, all you need to do is turn on his tape against the Arizona State Sun Devils
, where, in a rivalry game, he shut the place down. Stukes starts the play in the slot. Before the play starts, he realizes that his man is going to be running a deep route. He knows that because he studies the tape and film at a crazy rate, so much so that his teammates called him "Coach Stukes."
So, he slowly drops out of the slot and into the free safety position, keeping his receiver hip-to-hip, stride-for-stride. The ball is aired over both of them, and with Stukes behind the WR, he still somehow climbs the ladder to go get the ball. I'm describing the play, but it doesn't do it enough justice. Watch for yourself.
Given this situation, Stukes stands out as an outstanding fit, and this is an easy A+ grade
. He is a very athletic mover and has as fluid a set of hips as it gets. Often, when a safety turns, there is lag, or their speed slows. But, you don't really get that with Stukes. To make things even better, Stukes is exceptional at recovering to undercut late throws. Stukes has some of the best instincts in the draft, too, especially when the ball is in the air.
He doesn't commit penalties, and in fact has not since 2023. His only weakness is his average, or at best mediocre, frame. Still, as a center fielder, size is less crucial. Occasionally, he gets flat-footed and could work on tackling, but he's a willing tackler and isn't afraid to get his hands dirty.
