Training camp is where roster questions start turning into real answers, and for the Raiders, Treydan Stukes has already become one of the most interesting pieces on the board.
Las Vegas spent the offseason reworking a defense that had gone quiet over the past several seasons, even with Maxx Crosby still serving as a disruptive force up front. The front office attacked the unit in layers: free agency brought help to the front seven, while the draft was used to reshape the secondary. Stukes, the Arizona defensive back Las Vegas selected, is right in the middle of that effort.
The 6-foot-2, 200-pound rookie talked with the media on Friday about the many jobs he can handle and how he adjusted to the playbook and scheme. That flexibility is the reason he stands out.
He played both nickel back and safety in college, and the Raiders plan to use him in those same spots. For defensive coordinator Rob Leonard, that kind of versatility opens the door to more personnel combinations and more options on the back end.
Stukes brings a solid college résumé with him, too. Over his career, he piled up 207 tackles, 26 pass deflections and seven interceptions.
And he enters a secondary that already includes veterans and rookies, which should make camp battles lively. Las Vegas also added Jermod McCoy in the fourth round.
At 24, Stukes looks like one of the rookies worth watching closely. His ability to move around the secondary gives the Raiders a different kind of chess piece, and it could end up being a major factor in how much better that unit becomes.
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