The Las Vegas Raiders selected safety Treydan Stukes in the second round of the NFL Draft, a choice that carried higher-than-usual expectations given both the investment and the player’s age.
Stukes will turn 25 in September, making him one of the older rookies in the class. The franchise bypassed other talented prospects to bring him aboard, signaling a clear desire for him to contribute sooner rather than later.
Early returns from training camp have been modest. According to a stock report compiled by The Athletic’s Sam Warren, Stukes has performed soundly in his assignments and has not struggled with the mental side of the game. That reliability mirrors what he showed during the offseason program.
Yet the second-round pick has received fewer competitive opportunities than many anticipated. He has yet to take a first-team snap in any competitive period, a notable shift from the spring when injuries and absences among veterans allowed him to work with the starters at both safety and nickel.
With Taron Johnson and Jeremy Chinn healthy and participating in every session, Stukes has been working primarily with the second unit. Warren noted that the rookie will need to make a stronger impression once the pads come on if he hopes to crack the regular rotation.
There is still plenty of time for that adjustment. Stukes has not played a single regular-season snap, and the Raiders are not in a position that demands immediate production from him at the highest level.
The team returns both of its 2025 starting safeties in Jeremy Chinn and Isaiah Pola-Mao, giving the defense a stable foundation while the newcomer continues to develop. Stukes’ versatility as a potential nickel corner is also tempered by Johnson’s presence in that role.
The combination of age and draft capital does create a mild sense of urgency. Athletic primes are finite, and a player entering the league at 25 may have fewer seasons at peak physical ability than a typical 21- or 22-year-old rookie.
Still, the organization can afford to be patient. Stukes will have repeated chances to demonstrate why the Raiders valued him as highly as they did.
While attention remains focused on No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza and his own early ups and downs at quarterback, Stukes represents the highest-drafted defensive rookie who could realistically see meaningful snaps first if he elevates his standing.
Training camp is far from over, and the pads will eventually separate those who merely look the part from those ready to contribute.
For now, the second-round safety finds himself on notice, with the opportunity still firmly in his hands to reverse the early perception.
