Even though the Las Vegas Raiders aren’t looking to move him, Davante Adams has been linked to trade rumors for several months. However, the Raiders are currently fixated on competing this season, and moving Adams wouldn’t help. Should the Raiders struggle later this season, it’s always possible the 31-year-old will be traded.
But if Adams is dealt, who would step up in his absence? The solution may already be on the roster.
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Can Tre Tucker bring a Tyreek Hill-like skillset to Las Vegas Raiders offense?
During the 2023 NFL Draft, the Las Vegas Raiders selected Cincinnati wide receiver Tre Tucker with the 100th selection overall. This was the same third-round pick the Raiders received in exchange for trading Darren Waller to the New York Giants.
The 23-year-old saw a healthy amount of playing time as a rookie, hauling in 19 receptions for 331 yards and two touchdowns. Just as his 17.4 yards per reception indicates, Tucker was a legitimate deep threat, even as a rookie.
Now, as the 5-foot-9, 185-pound receiver enters his second season, he’s drawn comparisons to Tyreek Hill, the league’s top-ranked player on the 2024 NFL top-100 list.
“While there’s always couching when it comes to comparing any receiver to Tyreek Hill, Raiders folks talked about second-year man Tre Tucker like he has that kind of explosiveness and could add that sort of element to their offense.”
Albert Breer on Tre Tucker/Tyreek Hill comparison
In some ways, Tucker does share a similar profile to Hill. They’re both ‘undersized’ compared to the ideal receiver who stands in at 6-feet or taller. Hill measured in at 5-foot-8 1/8, and Tucker comes in at 5-foot-8 5/8.
But the real identifying trait here is their lightning-quick speed. Tucker clocked a 4.32-second 40-yard dash time at the NFL Combine. This was a tick slower than Tyreek Hill’s 4.29 40 time. However, Tucker had a quicker 10-yard split at 1.48 compared to 1.50 seconds from Hill. That’s not all.
Pre-draft measurables | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | 3-cone drill |
Tre Tucker | 4.32 seconds | 1.48s | 2.46s | 4.49s | 7.07s |
Tyreek Hill | 4.28 seconds | 1.50s | 2.51s | 4.06s | 6.53s |
Of course, Tucker has a long way to go before he can compare to Hill’s production, but many of the measurables are there. If the Raiders can help Tucker reach his full potential, Las Vegas just might have a star on their hands.
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