After the initial wave of celebration following the Las Vegas Raiders' pick of quarterback Fernando Mendoza on Day 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft, it was time to get back things going again. This team has plenty of work to do, and there is no rest for the weary.
Round 2 was kicked off with the Raiders trading back a couple of spots with the Houston Texans as they moved from pick 36 to 38. John Spytek was able to acquire an additional Day 2 pick in this deal (No. 91) as well, which made it a slam dunk.
But it wasn't just the acquisition of pick No. 91 that showed excellent strategy from the second-year general manager.
At no. 38, then, Las Vegas went with Arizona defensive back Treydan Stukes, which would've been no surprise to anyone who's been paying attention here. It was a selection that not only filled one major need for the Raiders, but would potentially help fill multiple.
Treydan Stukes gave John Spytek even more flexibility for the Raiders
Although Stukes might be hard to project in terms of his NFL position, this is also a luxury for Spytek and first-year defensive coordinator Rob Leonard. Coming into the draft, the Raiders had a pair of sure-fire needs in their secondary.
First, they needed a free safety. Next, they undoubtedly needed to figure out a long-term solution at nickel. And depth throughout the secondary could be utilized as well, even if it wasn't the utmost priority.
As if this pick couldn't have been more perfect, nor come at a better time, Stukes looks like he'll be able to fill any one of those roles. So, with just one pick, the Raiders set themselves up to be able to fill multiple needs in a much simpler manner.
There is a good chance Las Vegas takes another defensive back and, in doing so, they'll be able to slide Stukes right into the opposite role. Great work by Spytek to get a guy with 29 career pass breakups, along with seven interceptions and 12 tackles for loss. Now, that's versatility.
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