Las Vegas Raiders rookie Treydan Stukes just helped make a piece of franchise history, and he’s only getting started
The Las Vegas Raiders nailed their second-round draft pick in Treydan Stukes.
The Las Vegas Raiders are getting strong production from their rookies through eight weeks of the 2026 season. Safety Treydan Stukes might be the best of the group. Yes, he has made some mistakes.
He is a rookie playing one of the toughest positions on the field. Still, Stukes has played extremely well for Las Vegas, and he’s helped make a little bit of Raiders history. The Raiders PR team posted this on X after Sunday’s game against the New York Jets:
Safety Treydan Stukes broke up a pass on third down to force a New York Jets field goal. If you remember the play, Stukes barely got a fingertip on that ball. Without that tip, it would have been a touchdown for New York. The team’s PR account followed with an even bigger note:
“Raiders rookies have reached 9 passes defensed in 2026. Stukes with 3, Masses with 6. 9 passes defensed is the most by the Raiders rookie class through the 8th game of a single season since 2000.”
Those two are playing great football. Both have had their mistakes, and both are still learning. However, both have also had strong moments, and Stukes keeps showing up when it matters.
Treydan Stukes held up when the Raiders’ secondary didn’t
Against the Jets, Stukes was targeted three times and allowed two catches for 62 yards. That’s not great on paper. But the plays he made when the Raiders needed them were excellent, and he didn’t allow a touchdown across 34 coverage snaps.
He was also solid in coverage on a day when several of his teammates struggled. Jeremy Chinn, Jermod McCoy, and Tommy Eichenberg all had rough moments in coverage. So did Eric Stokes, who allowed six catches for 74 yards and a touchdown on 10 targets. It was probably the worst game of Stokes’ Raiders career. Stukes, on the other hand, played well, and he’s only going to get better.
Why Stukes matters so much to the Raiders’ defense
Stukes is a key reason Las Vegas can be so versatile in its defensive looks. His flexibility allows Rob Leonard to do so many different things with the defense. Here’s where he fits. Stukes can line up in the slot.
When Taron Johnson is on the field, Stukes can slide back to free safety, and he has played well there too. He can also come down into the box and make tackles. We’ve seen him do that a few times at a high level, although he still needs to keep developing in that area.
Every week he shows a little more of why he can be a cornerstone piece of this defense for years. The Raiders are 4-4, so the overall results haven’t been where anyone wants them. Even so, Las Vegas is in a strong position with this rookie class.
Some players are coming along faster than others, and we haven’t seen much of Fernando Mendoza yet. Regardless, this class is looking good, and Stukes is a big reason why.
