Chiefs could bolster versatility, long-term talent with Treydan Stukes in NFL Draft

After all of the movement in the Chiefs secondary, including the recent signing of Kaiir Elam, there are still questions to be answered. One of the biggest ones surrounding the secondary is what the Chiefs think they need and/or already have in the building. In classic Brett Veach fashion, the Chiefs like to have a roster that could line up and play today, even before the draft.

How do all the pieces fit together in the defensive backfield? The Chiefs have some obvious answers at outside corner with Kristian Fulton and Nohl Williams, and they have some depth there now with Kaiir Elam. Additionally, they also have nickel depth with Kader Kohou and Kevin Knowles. So what do the Chiefs view as their need in the secondary? None of the names above are on the roster for 2027 besides Williams and Knowles. Do the Chiefs just draft the best corner and figure out his role later?

Or do they look to upgrade on Kader Kohou and try to find the long-term Trent McDuffie replacement by drafting one of the several very talented nickel backs in the class? Regardless of the role, the Chiefs have plenty of questions to answer long-term in the secondary.

To keep close tabs on the 2026 NFL Draft and the top prospects for the Kansas City Chiefs, make sure to bookmark our Arrowhead Addict Big Board. Our custom big board is tailored toward the Chiefs’ needs and thresholds.

NFL Draft Profile: Treydan Stukes, CB, Arizona

1. Treydan Stukes' background
2. Treydan Stukes' strengths
3. Treydan Stukes' weaknesses
4. Treydan Stukes' fit with the Chiefs

Treydan Stukes' background

Age: 24

Height: 6-1

Weight: 190 LBS

Hands: 8 1/2 inches

Arms: 31 3/4

Stukes attended Millennium High School in Goodyear, Arizona. Stukes is the rare NFL Draft prospect who was a 0-star recruit. He walked on at Arizona and made the team in his first year. He played sparingly in his first two years and also received a medical redshirt year due to a torn ACL in 2024, resulting in him being a sixth-year senior for the Wildcats. Stukes went from walk-on to team captain, a testament to his character. He finished his college career with 206 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 7 interceptions, and 29 passes defended.

Treydan Stukes' strengths

Preperation/ Ball Skills

Described as an absolute film junkie by coaches, he seems to always be in the right place at the right time. Really smooth at passing off defenders in zone coverage. Ball production is attributed to his tape study.

Tackling/ Trigger

Willing tackler who makes plays in both the run and screen game. Has a quick trigger downhill and is willing to make pass catchers pay for catching the ball.

Athleticsm

Shows good change-of-direction skills and mirror-and-match ability. Tested well at the combine (9.95 relative athletic score). His speed helps him recover well downfield.

Treydan Stukes' weaknesses

Draft Profile

Older player (will be 25 most of his rookie year) who had a later breakout in his college career. Wasn't a rated recruit and was able to fight his way to the role he was in mostly by hard work and preparation, which might speak to limitations in his physical profile.

Role

Likely needs to be at safety or in the slot. Despite his size, he's not agile enough to play on the outside. Being the age he is and limited as a big nickel might have him fall down draft boards due to value.

Play Height/ Footwork

Not the cleanest footwork from him. He can get off balance at times and tends to play higher than he should. This impacts his tackling at times and also has him off balance and in recovery mode against more sudden receivers.

Treydan Stukes' fit with the Chiefs

Much like several other names in this class such as Keionte Scott and Jalon Kilgore, the role of a nickel back or safety hybrid could be an option for the Chiefs. The question is what does that mean for Kader Kohou and Jaden Hicks. Kohou is on a one-year stopgap deal, but it still feels a little early to give up on Hicks. Regardless, what teams have done with players like Nick Emmanwori and Kyle Hamilton makes defending the run out of dime defense more important than ever. Stukes has lots of traits the Chiefs like, and the question is whether they will look past his age for his fit.

Stukes is a great story of a walk-on turned team captain. He shows advanced pre-snap recognition, route awareness, and excellent timing when tracking and attacking the ball. He's a versatile nickel/safety hybrid who thrives in zone coverage, closes quickly downhill, and brings physicality as a reliable tackler and run defender. He needs to improve man coverage discipline, lateral agility, and pursuit angles while playing with better pad level and cleaner footwork in transitions.

Round Grade: Grey Chip (Day 3 Grade)

Shades of: Big Jalen Pitre