The Las Vegas Raiders made a splash at the top of the 2026 NFL Draft by landing quarterback Fernando Mendoza—but they didn't stop there. Knowing that a franchise QB is only as good as the protection in front of him, the Raiders used their second third-round pick to add Texas A&M offensive lineman Trey Zuhn III. Think of it as insurance for their new signal-caller, even if Zuhn isn't expected to be a day-one starter.

Zuhn's draft stock soared after an eye-popping performance at the Aggies' pro day. His athletic testing was off the charts, earning him a near-perfect Relative Athletic Score of 9.99 out of 10. That elite athleticism translates directly to the field, especially in pass protection. In fact, Zuhn was arguably the best pass-blocker in all of college football last season.

How dominant was he? The SEC Jacobs Blocking Trophy winner allowed just 10 pressures—including only two sacks—over 13 games. His Pro Football Focus pass-blocking grade of 96.8 wasn't just the best among FBS offensive linemen; it was a staggering 5.2 points higher than the next closest competitor. To put that in perspective, the gap between second and fourth place was a mere 0.2 points.

While questions remain about his best position at the NFL level and his ability to contribute to the running game, the tape backs up the numbers. Zuhn's specialty is keeping the quarterback clean, and that's a skill every team covets.

One of his most impressive performances came against Miami in the College Football Playoffs, where he faced off against Rueben Bain Jr.—the 15th overall pick in the draft. Zuhn won the battle by playing the game within the game, exploiting Bain's biggest weakness: a lack of arm length.

Although Zuhn has below-average length for an offensive tackle with 32.5-inch arms, he still held a significant advantage over Bain's 30.875-inch arms. That inch-and-a-half made all the difference, especially against a power-based pass rusher. Zuhn's strategy was simple but effective: force Bain to operate in space. By staying patient and winning the hand fight, Zuhn neutralized one of the draft's top defenders. It's that kind of football IQ and technical prowess that could make him a steal for the Raiders in the third round.