After somewhat of a warm-up game in Week 1, the Las Vegas Raiders' rookie class was both leaned on and tested more this past Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers. Instead of just five of their 2026 NFL Draft picks seeing the field, the Silver and Black played six in Week 2. And for more snaps.
And you wouldn't know it by looking at the final score, as the Raiders took down their AFC West foe by practically the same margin, on the road, no less. Clearly, these youngsters have been coached well so far and are being put in largely advantageous positions at this early juncture in their careers.
Just as we did last week, let's go through and grade the performances of Las Vegas' first-year players in Week 2. Again, it is very early, and their final report cards will not be sent home until the end of the year. But here's what their grades look like through just a few games. A progress report, if you will.
Las Vegas Raiders rookie report card after Week 2 win over Chargers
Fernando Mendoza
N/A - Did not play
If you want in-depth analysis on how close the rookie may be getting to taking over for Kirk Cousins, check out our weekly Mendoza Meter.
Treydan Stukes
Grade: B
Stukes could be handed an incomplete grade, given the fact that he only played 31 of a possible 67 snaps due to being in the concussion protocol. But 31 snaps is a large enough sample size, so Stukes earns a "B" for his four tackles, good coverage and only giving up a single seven-yard reception. He did miss a tackle, but he also notched a pressure on a fun safety blitz. A lot of good, but nothing great.
Season GPA: 3.5
Keyron Crawford
N/A - On season-ending IR
Trey Zuhn III
Grade: C+
Zuhn III actually got in on a few jumbo packages near the goal line on Sunday, playing two offensive snaps. He actually blocked very well in those reps, but this is such a small sample size, so it is hard to give him anything more than a C+. Zuhn III was solid again on kick and extra point blocking as well.
Season GPA: 2.15
Jermod McCoy
Grade: D
McCoy finally got some defensive action in Week 2, playing 18 snaps and another three on special teams. Honestly, he didn't look tremendous on the boundary, as he gave up several catches in the flat. To his credit, McCoy did make three tackles and a stop, as he shed some blocks in the run game and made a few plays. McCoy also got blocked out a few times, though. He will figure it all out.
Season GPA: 1.0
Mike Washington Jr.
Grade: D+
Washington Jr. didn't have a lot of room to run, so perhaps this grade is a bit harsh, but three carries for seven yards isn't going to give you a great score. Especially when combined with zero receptions. Washington Jr. did have a nice rep in pass protection that allowed Kirk Cousins to find Cody White for a touchdown, but other than that, the rookie was pretty much a non-factor.
Season GPA: 2.30
Dalton Johnson
N/A - Not active in Week 2
Zeke Masses
Grade: A+
What else can you give Masses after a two-interception performance? Not to mention, he forced two more incompletions on balls thrown his way, and he came up to make several nice plays in the run game, including a tackle for loss. Masses looked like a legitimate NFL cornerback in Week 2, and a very good one, at that.
Season GPA: 3.65
Malik Benson
Grade: C
Benson couldn't connect with Cousins on his lone target of the day, and while the route looked good, he didn't sit or come back to the ball like the veteran quarterback expected. Otherwise, he was invisible for his other seven offensive snaps. On special teams, Benson was fine again, and he had a good punt return for 16 yards, so he made up for his miscue with Cousins. Average.
Season GPA: 2.35
Brandon Cleveland
N/A - On practice squad
Overall takeaways: These young players are being given an opportunity to play through their mistakes and even star in the early going, which will only aid in their development. It is amazing how much success these players and the team are having, even if it hasn't all been perfect.
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