Copyright KABC-TV
HENDERSON, Nev. -- Tre Tucker knew, as an eight-year-old playing backyard football, that speed was his superpower and a trait that would ultimately propel him to become an NFL wide receiver. In rain, snow and sunshine, Tucker played alongside his eight older brothers and friends, ranging from 15 to 16 years old, in his hometown of Akron, Ohio. They played tackle football without pads, so Tucker, the youngest of the group, knew he had no business being taken down by kids twice his age. Tucker's fear of getting tackled and his quickness went hand in hand. He would catch the ball before slipping by everyone, turning heads in the process. "When you fear something, you run a little faster," said Tucker, who also has four sisters. "Everybody was like, 'How old are you again?' I'm like, 'I'm eight, bro.' That's when I knew." In the midst of his third season with the Las Vegas Raiders, Tucker is still leaving defenders in the dust. He is on pace to have the best season of his career despite the team's overall struggles on offense. Through seven games, Tucker -- a third-round pick in 2023 -- has caught 29 passes for 389 yards and 4 touchdowns. He had 539 yards in 17 games during his sophomore campaign in 2024. Tucker's speed has been a significant factor. The former Cincinnati standout has an average speed of 14.97 mph. At the same time, he has been able to fine-tune other elements of his game, allowing him to make a jump in production. "He's been our most effective guy," coach Pete Carroll said. "We weren't sure how he would contribute. We hoped that he would be a downfield guy. He's been that, and he's doing other things as well. "I think he's had a really good start with us." Wide receivers coach Chris Beatty said Tucker, 24, is the fastest wideout he has worked with in the NFL. Tucker was a state champion in track at Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. And during the NFL combine in 2023, Tucker completed the 40-yard dash in 4.4 seconds. But when Beatty came to Las Vegas after holding the same position with the Chicago Bears (2024) and Los Angeles Chargers (2021-2023), he wanted to help Tucker, who is 5-foot-8 and weighs 182 pounds, improve at winning at the line of scrimmage. "He stretches the field," Beatty said of Tucker. "Our biggest deal was being able to get him to be able to win at the line of scrimmage, so he can be fast vertically, as opposed to always just being fast running across the field, and having to scheme up ways to get him free releases." Beatty, who coached players such asKeenan Allen, Mike Williams and DJ Moore, sat down with Tucker in the offseason to discuss which wide receivers he should study. Beatty suggested that Tucker watch film of former Washington wide receiver Santana Moss since they have similar body frames. Beatty and the rest of the team have praised Tucker's work ethic. He said Tucker is a "sponge," soaking up information to improve his game. And on the practice field, Tucker plays with the same effort that he does on game day. "He busts his tail off," Beatty said. "He pays attention to detail [ and ] wants to learn." Tucker said Beatty has been an "amazing" influence and commended Beatty for helping him improve on the mental aspect of the game. "He's helped me tremendously," Tucker said. " [ Beatty ] gives us a mental edge, knowing what the defense is doing [ and ] how the cornerback is going to play. ...You are already a step ahead, no matter what your physical traits are." Beatty, who was also the Bears' interim offensive coordinator last season, has done more than be a major influence for Tucker. He has also been influential in the team's pass concepts. "He's got some good ideas and a lot of the stuff we do is because of what he brought," offensive coordinator Chip Kelly said. "He's one of the best in the game," Tucker said. Even during the Raiders' rough moments, and there have been plenty, Tucker has managed to stand out. In the Week 3 loss to the Washington Commanders, Tucker collected eight catches for a career-high 145 yards and three touchdowns. In three of the past four games, he has led the Raiders in receiving yards. Tucker has averaged a team-high 4.1 yards of separation and has two touchdown catches for 20-plus air yards. He averaged more than six yards of separation in losses to the Kansas City Chiefs and Bears. "He's a problem out there," said quarterback Geno Smith, who has a passer rating of 129.1 when targeting Tucker. "This guy is running 20 miles per hour just about every day out here on the practice field. And that's the reason why he can play so fast in the game, because he practices that way." Smith added that Tucker plays bigger than his size. Throughout his career, Tucker has prided himself on being a physical player, not letting his small frame define him. That mindset was developed from the hours spent playing backyard football with his brothers and being a wrestler in high school. "Everyone talks about the speed, but that's been ingrained in me since I was born," Tucker said. "But when you're out there playing against me, the play strength, the way I block, and just the physicality [ show up ] . "I always say I play big-boy football."
