Why Treydan Stukes Could Be Broncos’ Next Defensive Sleeper

Finding Broncos is back. Draft season rolls on apace, and we're breaking down the coming class with individual scouting reports. Let's talk about Arizona cornerback Treydan Stukes.

Background

Stukes was a walk-on at Arizona and has carried that chip on his shoulder every step of the way. He went from a zero-star recruit to a coveted and versatile NFL draft prospect.

As he was emerging in 2024, Stukes suffered a torn ACL, but he came back better than ever in 2025.

Stats

Stukes has 21 pass break-ups and seven interceptions with eight touchdowns allowed in his collegiate career. Six of those eight touchdowns came in 2022, with the other two in 2024.

In 2025, Stukes had six pass break-ups and four interceptions. He relinquished no touchdowns in coverage.

Pros

Treydan Stukes. | Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

Stukes fought hard to get where he is, and he has done it right every step of the way. He became a leader on and off the field and was selected as a team captain. There's no question that he will put in the work, as you can see the results of the week of preparation on tape in every game.

There is sound technique all around, especially when working in the slot, where most of Stukes's experience comes from. He has great ball tracking and timing to attack the ball, in contested-catch situations or not, as highlighted by the number of plays he has on the ball.

Stukes is a smooth mover who keeps himself low in and out of breaks and can change direction on a dime. The athleticism is there, and he has the speed to stay in phase when carrying receivers vertically.

Stukes' footwork and lower-body technique are as clean as they come when entering the NFL, with very little actually needing to be tweaked or improved.

When Stukes is working as a run defender, there is no doubt about his toughness and technique; he sticks his nose in it and is physical. He also has the physicality to work through blocks, can sniff out screens, and create disruption rather quickly.

Cons

The lower-body technique is clean and covers for the lack of bend Stukes plays with, though it wasn’t a major flaw on his college tape. Even so, improving that bend could help make his change-of-direction ability even better than it is.

There are times, when playing father away from the line, when Stukes can be late to trigger downhill. You don’t see this issue near the line, but it could be because it's easier to hide when playing closer to it.

Stukes's tackling technique also suffers, as the more ground he has to cover, the higher he comes into his tackles. He needs to stay low, balanced, and square when making the tackle.

Stukes is said to have good versatility, but issues arise more often when working anywhere other than the slot, so he might find himself purely a nickel defensive back at the NFL level. Teams will also have to check his medical history, which includes that torn ACL, and he is older for a rookie (25 in September).

Fit With the Broncos

Stukes would be a great fit for the Broncos, given what they do defensively as a nickel defensive back, but it gets cloudy because of the incumbent personnel. Do the Broncos plan on extending Ja’Quan McMillian?

Denver gave McMillian a second-round tender to lock him in for 2026, but beyond that, it's questionable. They also have 2025 first-rounder Jahdae Barron, who, despite the team's comments about him playing on the boundary, projects best inside, given his size.

If Denver plans to let McMillian and Riley Moss go at some point over the next year, with Barron taking over for Moss on the boundary, Stukes would make sense as a McMillian replacement. Denver could also view Stukes as a replacement for safety Brandon Jones, even though he has more issues that surface when playing a deeper safety role.

Grade

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