Why Treydan Stukes Should Be Raiders Day One Starter

It's no secret that the Las Vegas Raiders need help on the defensive side of the football.

The Raiders had only one consistent contributor in the secondary last season: cornerback Eric Stokes, who turned a one-year, ‘prove-it' deal into a multi-year contract with the Silver and Black. Other than that, no one was consistently good enough to keep the secondary afloat.

That's why General Manager John Spytekand his staff focused so heavily on the secondary in the offseason, selecting four defensive backs in the 2026 NFL Draft. Las Vegas knew it needed more players who could take the football away.

One of the players the team drafted was Arizona defensive back Treydan Stukes, who became the No. 38 overall pick after the Raiders traded down for him. Stukes was a high riser toward the end of the pre-draft process because of his high football IQ and ability to force turnovers.

There has been some debate about where Stukes might play during his rookie season, whether he's better suited as a safety or a slot cornerback. Today, we'll make the case for why Stukes should take one of the starting safety roles immediately.

Why Stukes Should Start

The Raiders didn't get particularly good play out of Isaiah Pola-Mao last season, who has always been a reliable depth piece. When he took over as a starter in 2025, his play dropped off tremendously.

For that reason, the Raiders should turn to Stukes, who recorded seven interceptions during his career with the Wildcats. He improved his ability to diagnose plays pre-snap and was much better at breaking on passes and picking them off.

Stukes would give the Raiders something they haven't had in many, many years: a true centerfielder in the defensive backfield. He could roam back there while Jeremy Chinn plays closer to the line of scrimmage, which better suits his skill set.

While Stukes still has elements of his own game he must improve, he is clearly one of the two best safeties on the Raiders' roster. He is a high-character player with lots of college experience, and he gives Las Vegas a versatile element it has not had in a long time.

In Conclusion

The Raiders won't win many football games if they cannot force turnovers and give their offense more opportunities to score. Stukes gives them high-level pass defense, which also comes in handy when Maxx Crosby is pressuring the quarterback.

If the Raiders want to see serious defensive improvement, they'll treat Stukes like a starter from day one.

This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/raiders/onsi as Why Treydan Stukes Should Be Raiders Day One Starter.

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This story was originally published June 18, 2026 at 6:00 AM.