The Raiders could have gone in a lot of directions with the no. 36 pick in the draft on Friday evening, but they chose to trade down two positions and take Arizona defensive back Treydan Stukes.
Stukes was a bit of surprise pick, but ESPN’s Matt Miller did predict the 24 year-old cornerback/safety to the Raiders in his Friday morning 2nd and 3rd round mock draft.
Earlier in the week, ESPN’s Adam Schefter claimed Stukes was one of the fastest rising prospects entering the draft and said at least one NFL general manager had a higher grade on Stokes than he did Ohio State’s Caleb Downs, who went to the Dallas Cowboys at pick 11.
“Arizona cornerback Treydan Stukes seems to be climbing on some draft boards. He has been busy traveling in recent weeks, with 11 top-30 visits, including to Pittsburgh on Wednesday, Kansas City on Tuesday and Seattle last Monday. Stukes had four interceptions last season and ran a 4.33-second 40-yard dash at the combine. Teams say they think he can play both safety positions, nickel corner and outside CB,” Schefter wrote in his draft column earlier this week.
“One NFL general manager called Stukes ‘one of the best safeties I’ve seen [in my time as a GM]’ and added he would draft him ahead of Ohio State safety Caleb Downs. ‘This guy makes freaky plays that I haven’t seen other safeties make.” It would not be a shock to see Stukes sneak into Round 1.”
What isn’t up for debate on Stukes is that he’s one of the fastest defensive backs in this year’s draft (4.33 forty time at the NFL Combine), extremely versatile, and is one of the highest-character players in the draft at any position.
In his pre-draft breakdown, The Athletic’s Dane Brugler broke down Stukes in a little more detail…
“A starter for three-and-a-half years at Arizona, Stukes played the “F Kat” nickel position in defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales’ scheme. While playing under three different head coaches and five defensive coordinators over his college career, he was primarily an outside cornerback his first three seasons before moving inside for his final three years (1,174 career snaps in the nickel, 943 at outside corner, 503 at safety). In his final season, he didn’t allow a touchdown in coverage and led the Big 12 in interceptions per game (0.40).
A former walk-on, Stukes competed with the same passion and toughness as a senior captain as he did when he was a wide-eyed freshman straining for a scholarship. Despite some wasted movements in his transitions, he closes space in coverage with the ball awareness to disrupt the catch point. He plays with toughness and physicality near the line, although he needs to clean up things as a tackler.
Stukes can be too reactionary at times, but he is an instinctive athlete who plays with quiet confidence and valuable versatility. He projects best in the nickel, while offering outside or single-high flexibility.“
x: @raidersbeat
Adam Shyster doesn’t know shi*.
Adam Shyster is a fraud.
Raiders blew the draft after Mendoza.
Just awful and brutal.
Stukes and Zuhn are OLD for rookies. 24.
Crawford is a BACKUP/DEPTH piece.
Spytek can’t draft for shi*. Confirmed.
We got NO STARTERS SO FAR. Mendoza is a year away.
Second draft in a row that confirms John Spytek as the worst drafting general manager in football. This guy couldn’t buy a clue.
Two 24 year old rookies and a backup after drafting Mendoza. No starters.
Holy fukkin shi*.
John Spytek how the fukk did you ever be able to get a GM job you fukkin fraud?
I agree 💯 with you on your assessment, but with all new administration’s their picks will start. Personally I liked Stukes in the 3rd (late 3rd) and Crawford in the 4th (late 4th) and Zuhn wouldn’t have been terrible ( in the 5th). Just like last year this FO doesn’t get value from their picks. After the draft and free agency it appears the 3-4 defense isn’t really happening. Top 10 pick again next year
Stukes is old and if he was so good then why didn’t he go earlier?
We got NO STARTERS SO far. That is a TREMENDOUS FAILURE ON JOHN SPYTEK.
We need game chargers and difference makers and this CLUELESS IDIOT is drafting for Depth.
It just worse and worse.
Jermod McCoy. Suffered a DEVASTATING KNEE INJURY.
Didn’t workout at the Combine, had a pro day.
This guy is huge question mark and I’m absolutely certain the FUKKIN IDIOT SPYTEK thinks he snagged a steal.
Raiders are truly cursed.
We can’t find even a decent GM who has even an ounce of common sense.
We are going to completely waste Mendoza. What a FUKKIN SHAME.
What makes the MCCoy pick even worse is that yhe Raiders moved up to get him ROFL.
YOU CAN’T NAKE THIS UP! MKVED UP TO DRAFT A GUY WITH A CATASTROPHIC KNEE INJURY WHO MISSED THE ENTIRW SEASON.
This level of PURE STUPIDITY IS RARELY SEEN.
JOHN SPYTEK PLEASE RESIGN IMMEDIATELY AFTER THIS DRAFT IS OVER SO THE RAIDERS CAN HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE AN ACTUAL FUTURE YOU FUKKIN NITWIT.
Someone please let John Spytek know that Jermod McCoy’s knee injury is degenerative. He won’t be around for a second contract, if he’s even in the league at all.
Thanks Spytek you fukkin asshol.
Breaking: Jermod McCoy might need a second surgery to replace a bone plug in his previously operated on knee.
Un-Fukkin-Believable.
John Spytek please go ruin another organization and not the Raiders you fukkin piece of shi*.
https://www.knoxnews.com/story/sports/college/university-of-tennessee/football/2026/04/24/jermod-mccoy-injury-update-surgery-bone-plug-2026-nfl-draft/89776377007/
Your as lame as they come!!!! Must be a closet Seahawks fan ! Get out of the closet!!!
Great response. True Raiders that know football know that this was a great draft. That gamble is a good one because the ceiling is the best cornerback of all time. A fourth round pick is worth that gamble.
Is someone going to tell our genius GM that we are towards the end of the Draft and this is out WR room:
Tre Tucker
Jack Bech
Donte Thornton
Jalen Nailor
WHAT ARE WE DOING?!
RAIDERS DRAFT RECAP:
1. FERNANDO MENDOZA
38. TREYDAN STUKES
67. KEYRON CRAWFORD
91. TREY ZUHN III
101. JERMOD MCCOY
122. MIKE WASHINGTON JR.
160. DALTON JOHNSON
175. HEZEKIAH MASSES
195. MALIK BENSON
229. BRANDON CLEVELAND
2026 DRAFT ASSESSMENT:
THIS WAS AN AWFUL DRAFT OUTSIDE OF MENDOZA FOR THE RAIDERS. IT’S SO BAD THERE ARE HARDLY THE WORDS TO PROPERLY DESCRIBE IT.
AFTER MENDOZA, THE RAIDERS TARGETED OLD ROOKIES WHILE FAILING TO ADDRESS SIGNIFICANT POSITIONS OF NEED IN ANY MEANINGFUL WAY.
THE RAIDERS FAILED TO ADDRESS THE OT, OG, DT, WR, CB, WITH ANY TRULY IMPACTFUL PLAYERS. HARD TO BELIEVE THEY HAD AN ENTIRW YEAR TO RPEPARE FORNTBOS DRAFT ONLY TO DO THIS.
THE RAIDERS DRAFTED AN OLD BACKUP CENTER WHO WILL BE 24 BY THE TINE THE SEASON STARTS. THE QUESTION. AS ALWAYS. WHEN DRAFTING OLDER ROOKIES, IS JUST HOW MUCH MORE CAN THEY DEVELOP?
RAIDERS FANS SAW THIS LAST SEASON WHEN THE RAIDERS DRAFYED DARIEN PORTER WHO EAS LESS THAN GOOD.
THEY DRAFTED KEYRON CRAWFORD WHO WILL BE BACKUP/ROTATIONAL PIECE THAT OPPOSING TEAMS WILL RUN STRAIGHT AT.
STUKES IS ANOTHER BIG QUESTION MARK. HE’S GOING TO BE A 25 YEAR OLD ROOKIE BY THE TIME THE SEASON STARTS. HE’S COMING OFF AN ACL INJURY IN 2024. THE TAIDERS TOOK A GAMBLE THAT IS GOING TO LOOK RIDICULOUS IF IT DOESN’T WORK OUT.
THEY DRAFTED ANOTHER PLAYER WITH A CATASTROPHIC INJURY IN JERMOD MCCOY. HE MISSED THE ENTIRE 2025 SEASON. HE DIDN’T WORK OUT AT THE COMBINE. HE ONLY WORKED OUT AT HIS PRO DAY. EVERYTHING ABOUT HIM IS UNKNOWN AND A QUESTION MARK. HE MAY NEED A SECOND SURGERY.
MIKE WASHINGTON JR. IS A PLAYER I TARGETED FOR THE RAIDERS BEFORE THE DRAFT AND THE BEST PLAYER BESIDES MENDOZA THE RAIDERS TOOK IN THEIR ENTIRE DRAFT CLASS. COULD NOT BE HAPPIER WITH THIS PICK.
DALTON JOHNSON IS ANOTHER BIG QUESTION MARK. HE STRUGGLED IN COVERAGE. HE’S SMALL FOR HIS POSITION AT 5’11” 195. HE GOT BURIED AND SWALLOWED WHOLE AT THE SECOND LEVEL WHEN OFFENSIVE LINEMEN GOT TO HIM. HE COULDN’T COVER IN MAN-TO-MAN TO SAVE HIS LIFE. ARIZONA ALSO DIDN’T PLAY AGAINST GREAT COMPETITIOM, EITHER. FOR ME THIS WAS ANOTHER UNNECESSARY GAMBLE BY SPYTEK.
HEZEKIAH MASSES. HE’S A PLAYER I HAD AS A TARGET FOR THE RAIDERS PRE-DRAFT. HE LED THE NATION WITH 18 PASS BREAKUPS BUT WAS ALSO FLAGGED 14 TIMES IN THE LAST TWO SEASONS AND HE’S GOING TO HAVE TO IMPROVE GREATLY IN THAT AREA.
MALIK BENSON AND BRANDON CLEVELAND. TWO ZEROS. NOTHING MORE THAN BACKUP/RESERVE/SPECIAL TEAMS.
OVERALL, THIS WAS A WASTE OF A DRAFT FOR THE RAIDERS. THEY DRAFTED MENDOZA BUT DIDN’T GIVE HIM ANY PROTECTION OR WEAPONS. I HOPE HE DOESN’T PLAY THIS SEASON AND INSTEAD SITS BACK AND LEARNS BECAUSE THE RAIDERS DID NOT SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVE THIS TEAM IN ANY AREA OF THE TEAM.
THEY ALSO MADE A STUPID TRADE. THEY TRADED TYREE WILSON. WHO WAS A TOP 10 PICK, AND WHO IMPROVED YEAR AFTER YEAR, FOR A 7TH ROUND PICK. SPYTEK GOT FPEECED. AND I COULDN’T STAND TYREE WILSON AND WANTED HIM GONE BUT A 7TH ROUND PICK? THAT’S IT?!
THE RAIDERS DID NOT IMPROVE THE OFFENSIVE LINE OUTSIDE OF ADDING LINDERBAUM AT CENTER, THEY DIDN’T IMPROVE THE D LINE AT ALL, THEY IMPROVED THE LINEBACKER SPOT WITH THE TWO FREE AGENTS BUT HAVE NO DEPTH BEHIND THEM AND SPYTEK FAILED TO ADDRESS THAT POSITION IN THIS DRAFT SO THERE’S THAT.
FINAL DRAFT GRADE NOT INCLUDING MENDOZA: F
COUNTING MENDOZA: C
Wow!! Your a hater! ! We haven’t even explored the potential! Of the player’s we got! ” You must work for the broncos!) such ” poop!) coming from and ???¿?( Arm Coach!) But (LFG)
You’re an idiot.
Spytek drafted old and catastrophically injured players. That is the facts of the matter.
He didn’t protect his new Quarterback nor give him any weapons. Fact.
It was a completely wasted draft.
I still can’t believe the scouting department worked all year just to come uo with that awful, AWFUL draft.
Hopefully!! Rn4l!!!! A team sport so we’ll see ! Hopefully a good pic for raider Nation!!!