Getty Tre Tucker, Raiders
When the Las Vegas Raiders picked receiver Tre Tucker in the third round of the NFL draft in 2023, they knew they were getting a young player bursting with speed. He ran a 4.40-second 40-yard dash at the NFL’s Combine, which was tied for sixth among wide receivers, and reminded personnel folks that he had been the Ohio boys track champion as a senior in high school in the long jump, the 100-meter dash and as part of the four-by-200 relay.
But through 11 weeks of the NFL season, we have not seen much of an impact from Tre Tucker. That, according to Bleacher Report’s Joe Tansey, is one of the “Major changes the Raiders must make,” down the stretch of the season to remain in the AFC playoff picture.
Wrote Tansey: “Tre Tucker is the one difference-maker who can unlock a new dimension of the Raiders’ passing offense. The third-round pick out of Cincinnati has the most speed among the skill position players on the roster and he could be the answer to solving the too-much-volume-to-(Davante) Adams problem.
“Tucker was targeted on a season-high seven occasions against Miami, but he only came down with two receptions. (Aidan) O’Connell needs to work on getting his fellow rookie involved more so that opposing secondaries drift away from Adams.”
Tre Tucker Has Just 8 Catches
It has not been a bang-up first season for Tre Tucker in the NFL, as the Raiders have yet to put his blazing speed to much use. He has eight catches this year on 17 total targets, and Tansey is right to point out that the team at least tried to get Tucker the ball in Week 11, with star Dolphins cornerback Jalen Ramsey draping Davante Adams.
The seven targets were by far the most he has had this season, having gotten three targets just twice this season (against the Giants and the Bears). Tre Tucker played four games without getting a target at all.
He does have 161 yards on his eight catches, a good indication that when he does get the ball, he can use his speed to get deep. He is one of just 33 receivers in the league to have multiple receiving plays of 40-plus yards to his credit.
Raiders Rely on Davante Adams Too Much?
But Tucker is just 5-foot-9 and 186 pounds, and his NFL.com draft profile warned that his size could prevent him from living up to the potential his speed seems to present. Taking him in the third round was a bit of a stretch—he was projected as a fifth-rounder. While he can stretch the field, his draft outlook suggested he might be better working from the slot.
“He’s going to struggle to make contested catches, whether it’s a defender or the ground doing the contesting,” his profile read. “While he can stretch the field, he might be most effective as a possession target underneath and gadget option capable of making plays with the ball in his hands. His specific attributes create a higher ceiling but lower floor as a pro.”
One of the premises of the B/R article could be faulty, too. The idea is that the team is too reliant on Davante Adams and would be better off spreading the ball around more. That might be true, but the Raiders have Jakobi Meyers and Hunter Renfrow on the roster.
They might not have the speed and upside of Tre Tucker, but they can be more reliable targets for a rookie like O’Connell to lean on.