The 2026 NFL Draft looks to be a banner year for players who would have previously been dismissed as “tweeners”. The recent success of defenses featuring versatile players who don’t fit neatly into classic molds is likely to spawn copycats across the NFL.
That could be very good news for players like Treydan Stukes of Arizona.
Stukes plays a hybrid DB position for the Arizona defense, blurring the lines between safety, cornerback, and slot corner. That would have left him without a natural position in the NFL, and likely sliding down draft boards in the process. However, he is a natural to fill that versatile “nickel defender” role.
The New York Giants are returning to the “Baltimore 2.0” scheme under John Harbaugh and Dennard Wilson. The Ravens were one of the originators of the philosophy to use a hyper-versatile defender to dictate to the offense. Could Stukes be that player for the Giants?
Prospect: Treydan Stukes (2)Games Watched: vs. Kansas (2025), vs. Cincinnati (2025), vs. Baylor (2025), vs. Arizona State (2025)Red flags: Torn ACL (2024)
Treydan Stukes is a long, highly athletic, and extremely versatile hybrid defender.
Stukes wore a wide variety of hats for the Arizona defense, playing everything from cornerback to free safety, and is likely best described as a “nickel defender”. Stukes spent most of his time at the second level of the defense and blurs the lines between a box safety and a slot corner.
He’s a highly athletic defender with great speed, explosiveness, and quickness. Stukes is a bit too tight to be considered a regular man coverage corner, however he is quick enough to match wide receivers in zone coverage as well as fast enough to carry them vertically. He has good vision and range from zone coverage, frequently flying to the ball from dozens of yards away.
He has a definite nose for the ball, notching 6 passes defensed and 4 interceptions his final year at Arizona. Stukes’ length and closing burst allow him to attack the ball at the catch point, while his football IQ allows him to be in the right place at the right time.
Stukes is a predictably smart defender, considering how many roles he’s able to fill, and does a great job of communicating in the pre and post-snap phases, as well as maintaining the overall structure of the defense. Stukes typically does a good job of avoiding schemed traffic, being disciplined in the face of misdirection, and taking good angles to leverage the ball back to his teammates.
Finally, Stukes is a highly competitive run defender. He typically diagnoses the run well and takes smart angles to the ball, and is willing to take on bigger blockers to get there. He tends to use his athleticism to beat blockers to their landmarks, but is willing to engage at full speed and get his hands dirty when necessary.
Stukes’ primary weakness is his narrow, lean frame and an overall lack of mass. He weighed in at 190 pounds and doesn’t appear to have much room on his frame for more muscle without compromising his athleticism.
Stukes has good pop taking on blockers when he’s able to engage with momentum, however he doesn’t have the strength to truly shed blockers or match up if he isn’t able to initiate contact at speed. He can be sent reeling when even tight ends are the ones to initiate the block.
Likewise, Stukes can struggle to bring down bigger ball carriers. He can stop their momentum when engaging with speed, but needs his teammates to rally to the ball to bring bigger players down without giving up yards after contact.
Stukes also shows a slight hesitation in triggering from coverage zones. This could be due to the number of responsibilities Stukes had in the Arizona defense, or a desire to ensure his read was correct before launching into motion. This is likely something teams would want to go over in interviews.
Finally, teams will need to do their due diligence on the torn ACL that ended Stukes’ 2024 season. It’s positive that he returned to play at a high level in 2025, however teams will want to make sure his long-term prognosis is good and there are no lingering concerns with regard to durability.
(Stukes is the Arizona DB wearing number 2 with long white sleeves.)
Treydan Stukes projects as a starting nickel defender at the NFL level.
Stukes may have been looked at as a positionless “tweener” in prior drafts. However, NFL teams have been experimenting with using players who don’t fit neatly into traditional roles to combat modern offenses. The parallel innovations of the Baltimore Ravens and Vic Fangio defensive schemes have accelerated the importance of hybrid players, and Stukes looks to be one of the next generation in that mold.
Teams will need to have a plan for how to use Stukes, however he has the potential to become a key defensive piece for the team that drafts him. He shouldn’t have to wait long to hear his name called on the second night of the draft.