Treydan Stukes reflects on his path during college career

Arizona cornerback Treydan Stukes had a long way to go when he arrived on campus in 2020. Now three years later, he arrived at Pac-12 Media Day as a pivotal leader of the defense heading into his fourth season.

A native of Litchfield Park, Arizona, Stukes was not highly recruited out of Millennium before opting to walk on to the Wildcats. Not only that, but he weighed just 160 pounds when he first got to Tucson.

That didn’t deter him, however, as he cracked the starting lineup by the end of his second season. Now 30 pounds stronger and one of the key returning players in the secondary, he reflected on his journey to get to this point.

“Yeah, I mean, my whole path has truly been a blessing,” he said at Pac-12 Media Day. “I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I think it’s made me the player I am today. I’m really thankful that this is the path I took. I think I’d be a different man today if I had it a little easier.”

Stukes appeared in just three games as a true freshman and recorded eight tackles while taking a redshirt. He earned a scholarship that offseason and started five of 12 games the following year, including the final four of the season, as the Wildcats held opponents to 190.1 passing yards per game to rank 14th in the country.

This past season saw Stukes take his biggest leap yet. He finished with a career-high 42 tackles and ranked second on the team with five pass break ups as well as an interception. However, Arizona dropped significantly to rank 107th in passing yards allowed per game (258.6) while finishing 5-7.

That record was still a massive improvement over coach Jedd Fisch‘s inaugural season in 2021 when the Wildcats went 1-11. Now as Arizona looks to reach bowl eligibility for the first time since 2017, Stukes figures to play a major role in helping them get there.

The Wildcats lose last year’s star cornerback Christian Roland-Wallace to transfer as well as safety Jaxen Turner, who led the team with two interceptions. That has put even more pressure on Stukes to step up and carry the defense in 2023. But, as he’s proven throughout his career, he is motivated by the opportunity to defy expectations.

Arizona will kick off the upcoming season with a matchup against Northern Arizona on Sept. 2 at home.