Raiders Rookie Earns Major Recognition Ahead of Rams Game

The Las Vegas Raiders are giving one of their promising rookies a significant vote of confidence ahead of Sunday's home game against the Los Angeles Rams.

Safety Treydan Stukes has been selected as the team's defensive game captain for Week 7, becoming the first Raiders rookie to receive the honor this season.

The selection follows an encouraging performance against the Buffalo Bills and represents another step in Stukes' rapid rise from college walk-on to NFL starter.

According to Raiders Wire, offensive tackle DJ Glaze will serve as the offensive captain, while safety Isaiah Pola-Mao will represent special teams.

All three are first-time captains this season.

The Raiders have rotated the honor throughout the year, with no player selected more than once through seven weeks.

Stukes' recognition comes after he recorded nine tackles, including five solo stops, and broke up a pass in Sunday's 33-30 loss to Buffalo.

The performance represented a rebound after a difficult outing against the New England Patriots the previous week.

Stukes played all 68 defensive snaps against Buffalo, demonstrating his importance to a young secondary that continues to develop.

His progress has been particularly noteworthy considering his unusual path to the NFL.

The Raiders selected Stukes with the 38th overall pick in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft after he spent six seasons at Arizona.

He began his college career as a walk-on before developing into one of the Wildcats' defensive leaders.

As a senior in 2025, Stukes earned first-team All-Big 12 honors after recording 52 tackles, four interceptions and 10 passes defended in 10 games.

He finished his college career with seven interceptions and 35 passes defended.

The rookie made an immediate impression in Las Vegas, intercepting a pass in his NFL debut against Miami.

Stukes has endured some growing pains in his rookie season, but his response against Buffalo earned praise.

His performance was among the positive developments identified in the Raiders' recent defensive evaluation.

Now he has earned another distinction.

With the Rams coming to Las Vegas, Stukes will take the field as a game captain for the first time, an indication of the confidence the Raiders are placing in their rookie safety.

For a player who began his college career without a scholarship, it is another meaningful milestone.