The Los Angeles Chargers have likely already made their splashiest addition of the 2026 NFL Draft with their selection of pass rusher Akheem Mesidor late on Day 1.
But as the Draft wears on, and the Chargers already small stash of picks dwindles, it's possible that most of the intrigue will come from their rivals' moves. The Kansas City Chiefs already made their own splash move in trading up to sixth overall and nabbing cornerback Mansoor Delane.
The Las Vegas Raiders, however, were the first AFC West team on the clock on Day 2, and their pick has some interesting relevance for the Chargers. After moving down two spots in a trade with the Houston Texans, they selected safety Treydan Stukes out of Arizona.
With the pick, Las Vegas has attempted to find their clone of a player who has ravaged the AFC West defensively over the past few seasons— Derwin James.
Treydan Stukes could be the same type of defensive cornerstone that Derwin James has become
Let's start by saying that Stukes is about as strong a pick as could be expected at this range in the draft. In his final season at Arizona, he posted the sixth-best overall grade among all qualified players at the cornerback position, per Pro Football Focus. He posted an impressive 4.33-second 40-yard-dash time at the NFL Scouting Combine, and is a disruptive and experienced enough player to be more than worth a high Day 2 pick.
At 6'0" and 190 lbs, Stukes projects to play mostly at the nickel or down in the tackle box as a safety. He's an excellent tackler near the line of scrimmage, and he has the motor to make a difference on nearly every play.
Although James didn't entirely seem like that type of prospect coming out of college, he's become perhaps the most impactful defender of that archetype in the NFL in his seven full seasons with Los Angeles.
There's, of course, no guarantee Stukes gets to that level.
He will need to compete with Jeremy Chinn, who spent last season as one of the Raiders' starting safeties, for snaps in his rookie season. But if he can improve his abilities in coverage, he could quickly become the 'Swiss Army Knife'-type of defensive back that teams across the league long for.
Combined with their free-agent haul, which included pieces like Quay Walker, Kwity Paye, and Nakobe Dean, Las Vegas could be poised for a rapid turnaround on the defensive side of the ball. If Stukes can quickly settle into his archetype, the Chargers could have another formidable defense on their hands in the AFC West.
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