The transition to the NFL is usually a big deal for rookies. They go from being college kids with little money to professionals making lots of money in the span of months.
Oftentimes, some rookies like to go on a spending spree when they sign their contracts, especially early-round picks who are making millions. However, other rookies know how to invest their money wisely. Las Vegas Raiders second-round pick Treydan Stukes signed a four-year, $12.6 million contract with the team.
He got a $5.6 million signing bonus up front. Factoring in that he doesn’t have to pay state income taxes in Nevada, he’s got a lot of money to play around with.
ESPN recently went around to every team to get one rookie to admit what their big purchase was after signing a contract. Stukes decided to invest his money wisely and not splurge on lavish luxury items.
“I actually got a house,” Stukes told ESPN. “I went the real estate route. That was the big purchase, and everything else went into the savings [account].”
A house isn’t a bad way to go for a rookie. As a second-round pick, he’ll more than likely spend the next four years in Las Vegas, at the very least.
Stukes Impressing Coaching Staff
Stukes had a bit of a slow start to camp. He wasn’t seeing many reps with the first team defense. That’s usually not a big red flag for a rookie, but Stukes is a 24-year-old second-round pick. There’s an expectation for him to make an impact immediately.
Stukes has finally started to get more work with the starting defense, and safeties coach Matt Robinson had some praise for the young safety.
“He’s doing well,” Robinson told reporters recently. “As a rookie, with handling the amount of install that we have and putting it into a new defense, it can be a lot. But he’s a smart kid, and he’s taken to it. He’s picked it up well. For him moving forward, it’s just about trusting his keys, trusting his eyes, and now going out and making plays and letting his talent shine. I don’t want to slow him down, but he’s picking up the install, and I can’t wait to see how he progresses. With the preseason coming up, I expect to see a lot of him and watch him go out there and make plays.”
Stukes Still Adjusting to NFL
A big reason Stukes was drafted was due to his versatility. Though he’s listed as a safety, he can also play cornerback.
Having to learn multiple positions at the NFL level isn’t easy for a rookie, but Stukes feels like he’s getting more comfortable.
“Kind of what you’d expect, the game’s just a little bit faster, a little more complex,” Stukes told reporters. “It takes a lot to play this game at a high level, and when you’re trying to learn multiple positions at the same time, it’s a lot of information to take on at once.
“But I think as you get confident in the scheme and you start to understand the plays as a whole and what we’re trying to accomplish with the calls, that’s when it slows down for you, and you can immerse yourself in both positions and be able to help the defense in different ways.”
Raiders Rookie Has Admission About First Big Purchase Since Signing Contract