Even though they are joining a young team, the Las Vegas Raiders' rookie class is still going to have trouble finding its way onto the field during the 2026 NFL season. That is a testament to both the untapped potential Las Vegas has in the building and the additions that it made this offseason.
Fernando Mendoza is obviously the first name that comes to mind, but his status as a starter, and even as a backup, is in question. Third-rounders Trey Zuhn III and Keyron Crawford are battling to be in the rotation, as is fourth-rounder Mike Washington Jr. The Raiders have some real competition.
But they also have a few rookies standing out in a major way already. Fifth-round cornerback Zeke Masses is at least getting a chance to run with the first-team defense in Jermod McCoy's absence, which means a lot. However, only one Las Vegas rookie has had a lot thrown at them: Treydan Stukes.
And he seems prepared to handle it.
Las Vegas Raiders rookie safety Treydan Stukes is ready for a big role
Stukes, whom the Raiders selected in Round 2 of April's draft, is already impressing his teammates and the coaching staff with his versatility and general NFL readiness. He's been rolling with the first-team defense ever since the rookies and veterans began practicing together.
Las Vegas isn't pigeonholing him at one position and asking him to master it to flatten his learning curve, though. According to various reports, Stukes is playing both nickel corner and as a deep safety, meaning he is cross-training at multiple positions while still getting his feet wet in the NFL.
When Jeremy Chinn asked during last week's media availability about the versatility of Stukes, as well as fellow rookie Dalton Johnson and even veteran Taron Johnson, the Raiders' veteran safety marveled at the job the group has done so far with being interchangeable.
"Yeah, it's been good. It's been impressive just to see those guys, one just being willing to be like, 'Alright, yeah, I'll play that. I'll be here. You want me to be here?' So, just a willingness to take on different roles and be in different spots on the field."
All of that is already impressive for a youngster like Stukes. And even though he has taken some falls at the hands of some of the NFL's best in offseason practices, Stukes is also impressing reporters with his performance already in the early going. That is, by all means, a great sign.
Maybe fans shouldn't be surprised by that, as Raiders safety coach Matt Robinson told reporters recently that he sees a lot of similarities between Stukes and Kyle Hamilton, the perennial All-Pro safety for the Baltimore Ravens.
It is a good thing that Las Vegas is asking their early-round rookie to handle a lot so early, which they aren't doing with other members of the class. But it is even better that Stukes is answering the call early and appears to be well-equipped to handle it.
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