From now until the 2026 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top 10 picks, down to Day 3 selections and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Arizona CB Treydan Stukes.
No. 2 TREYDAN STUKES – 6’2”, 200 POUNDS (RS SENIOR)
MEASUREMENTS
Player Ht/Wt Hand Size Arm Length Wingspan
Treydan Stukes 6-2/200 N/A N/A N/A
40-Yard Dash 10-Yard Dash Short Shuttle 3-Cone
N/A N/A N/A N/A
Broad Jump Vertical Bench Press
N/A
THE GOOD
– Rare size for a slot cornerback that provides matchup versatility
– Can play as an outside cornerback to line up against bigger wide receiver targets
– Matches up well with big slot receivers and tight ends to not be out-sized
– Productive and disruptive ballhawk, creating timely turnovers and forcing incompletions
– Shows good awareness of route concepts and QB intent
– Exceptional visual tracking skills to follow the ball at all levels of the field
– Comfortable finishing plays rather than just contesting
– Strong tackler and able to wrap up guys consistently, both in the backfield and in space
– Looked comfortable in intermediate and deep zone territories to make plays on the ball
– Good recovery speed when beaten
– Very disruptive at the catch point using his timing and length to break up passes
– Regularly finds his way near screens, quick game concepts, and running plays
– Aggressive demeanor at the line of scrimmage
– Cut down on missed tackles in 2025 and showed improved pursuit on run plays from the slot
– Willing downhill run defender that comes with a lot of acceleration
– Possesses the strength to bring down bigger backs
– Safety-type versatility to play half field, overhang, or as the “big nickel”
– Strong work ethic and leadership skills, according to his coaches
– Four penalties in 6 years of playing time
THE BAD
– Below-average arm length for the position
– Has good straight-line speed, but not elite to play exclusively on the boundary
– Not an ideal cornerback for mirror-press man coverage skills
– Lacks the agility and shows hip tightness to turn on a dime in tight coverage spaces
– Can get stacked too often to be beaten over the top
– Gets caught flat-footed at times, watching the eyes of the QB
– Takes poor angles when tackling too often
– Doesn’t react as quickly to running plays as you’d like to see
– Inconsistent when trying to stack and shed blocks
– Will bite on double moves
– Is a sixth-year senior with age as a concern
– May be a jack of all trades, master of none kind of defensive back
– ACL injury within the past year
STATS
– 28 career starts and has 43 played in a total of games in 6 years at Arizona University
– Career: 2,674 total snaps (1,174 slot CB, 943 boundary CB, 464 strong safety, 39 free safety)
– 381 special teams snaps (152 FG Block, 72 Kick Return, 67 Punt Return, 62 Kick Coverage, 28 Punt Coverage
– 60.4 percent completion rate against, 207 total tackles (124 solo), 12 TFL’s, 1 sack, 0 forced fumbles, 26 PBU’s, 7 INT’s, 8 TD’s allowed, 77.4 passer rating allowed, 4 penalties, 25 missed tackles
– 2025: Started in 10 games
– 59 percent completion rate against, 52 total tackles (24 solo), 1 TFL, 1 sack, 6 PBU’s, 4 INT’s, 0 TD’s allowed, 34.4 passer rating allowed, 0 penalties, 6 missed tackles
– 90.4 coverage grade per PFF
– 83.2 man coverage grade (32.2 passer rating) and 89.5 zone coverage grade (39.6 passer rating) per PFF
– 72.5 run defense grade per PFF
INJURY HISTORY
– 2024: Only appeared in four games in 2024 because of a torn ACL against Utah
– 2025: Missed the first two games of the season while recovering from his ACL injury
BACKGROUND
– Went to Millenium Park H.S. in Goodyear, AZ
– 2025 1st Team All-Big 12 & 3rd Team All-American
– 2023 Honorable Mention All-Pac-12 & Team Captain
– Zero-star recruit according to 247Sports
– Walk-on at Arizona
– H.S. career totals of 97 tackles, 11 INT’s, 25 PD’s, a fumble recovery, and a forced fumble
– As a senior, he totaled 40 tackles, 7 INT’s, and 15 PD’s and also contributed 10 catches for 173 yds. and 5 TD’s on offense
– Lettered all four years in track and field while competing in the triple jump, long jump, and 4×100 meter relay
– Won a state championship in the triple jump and was a state finalist in the long jump
– Father, Ray, played college football at Pacific University and arena football
– Majoring in General Studies: Sports & Society
TAPE BREAKDOWN
Treydan Stukes is a big-bodied, instinctive defensive back who has worn many hats at Arizona, deployed in creative ways. He has strong zone coverage skills and can play in man when he’s deployed in their base sub-package as the nickel defender. He also plays the big nickel role really well, where they’ll have him match up with big slot receivers, tight ends, and stay near the line of scrimmage to cover backs. Stukes had the most difficulty taking poor tackling angles on running plays, off-man and press-man coverage mirror skills as a boundary cornerback, and getting caught watching the quarterback’s eyes instead of keeping his eyes on the receivers or his zone of proximity.
You can see the route instincts he has against Kansas here when he can read and react quickly to breaking towards the ball in the first clip, and then as the safety in the second clip. He is #2 for Arizona in all of the following clips.
pic.twitter.com/0jb4b0Kapk
— Happy Days (@Jh86Guy) February 20, 2026
pic.twitter.com/0jb4b0Kapk
— Happy Days (@Jh86Guy) February 20, 2026
Stukes can also play the deep ball well if he isn’t tasked with having to play press coverage on guys because he’s very aggressive at the catch point and can keep up with most receivers from his track background.
pic.twitter.com/f3jkfDMuuJ
— Happy Days (@Jh86Guy) February 20, 2026
He’s also particularly good the closer teams get to the red zone because he can take advantage of his aggressive tendencies to disrupt the routes of receivers and tight ends to make plays on the ball like this interception against Baylor.
pic.twitter.com/v26gmAramt
— Happy Days (@Jh86Guy) February 20, 2026
When he doesn’t have to stack and shed on tight ends and bigger receivers, he does a really nice job of getting downhill on running backs to make the tackle.
pic.twitter.com/RfzDcCQ4Gw
— Happy Days (@Jh86Guy) February 20, 2026
My biggest gripe is that he needs to work on reacting quickly and taking the correct angles on his tackles on running plays. He can’t be late diagnosing like this play, or backs will blow by him in the NFL for big gains.
pic.twitter.com/Xbob65dLTj
— Happy Days (@Jh86Guy) February 20, 2026
CONCLUSION
Treydan Stukes can be that modern NFL hybrid nickel defender who can present disguise and coverage personnel mismatches on all three downs, depending on how he’s deployed. He can be a real chess piece for a defensive coordinator to utilize.
Just don’t expect him to live on the boundary despite his size and thrive out there because his skills just aren’t optimally aligned with that position. He could also benefit from some coaching on run-game discipline and on understanding angles from different portions of the field.
I see him being used in many split-field rotations, playing the robber role, and as a nickel defender in a Cover 3 scheme. He also has the capability to be used in sim pressure situations, creeper fronts, and as a nickel blitzer. Even though they’re not exactly the same size and Stukes is taller, his playing style and versatility are similar to Chauncey Gardner-Johnson.
NFL Projection: Late Day 2-Early Day 3
Steelers Depot Draft Grade: 7.8 (Spot Starter)
Grade Range: 7.3-8.1
Games Watched: vs Baylor (2025), at Arizona State (2025), vs Northern Arizona (2024), at Oklahoma (2023)
Recommended for you