Cincinnati WR Tre Tucker selected 100th overall by Las Vegas Raiders in 2023 NFL Draft

The 2022 NFL Draft could be described as Cincinnati Bearcat mania. Immediately following the program’s first-ever College Football Playoff selection, the Bearcats took over last spring with nine draft selections — only trailing Georgia and LSU.

But in 2023, there were 99 different NFL Draft picks before a Bearcat heard his name called. With the 100th pick in the 2023 draft, the Las Vegas Raiders selected Cincinnati wide receiver Tre Tucker. He was the third-to-last pick of day two of the draft, nearing the end of the event’s third round.

Tucker extends Cincinnati’s streak of appearing at the NFL Draft to eight consecutive years. He was the third AAC wide receiver called this year, following Rashee Rice from SMU and Tank Dell from Houston. Overall, Tucker was the 14th receiver taken.

His stats improved all four years at Cincinnati, peaking at 672 receiving yards and three touchdowns as a senior last fall. In addition to his duties as a wide receiver, Tucker served as a four-year staple on special teams, fielding 67 kickoffs with a 24.9 average — two which resulted in touchdowns.

Tucker was a supporting member of a 2021 Cincinnati offense which tied for 11th in scoring offense in a season which featured an AAC title and College Football Playoff appearance. He played alongside 2022 second round pick Alec Pierce and likely 2023 draft pick Tyler Scott in a crowded receiving room.

The longtime Bearcat earned an invite to the NFL Combine in Indianapolis where he dazzled scouts with impressive speed and explosiveness. Tucker was one of the highest graded receivers in a multitude of measurements ranging from his 4.40-second 40-yard dash to his 37.5-inch vertical jump to his 10-foot, 4-inch broad jump. He was listed at 5’9” and 182 pounds, but his athleticism stole the show at the Combine.

Tucker joins a Raiders organization which recently decided to part ways with veteran quarterback Derek Carr. Las Vegas traded for former 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo earlier in the offseason, and he is set to serve as Tucker’s first facilitator at the professional level. Tucker shares a receiving room with three-time First Team All-Pro wideout Davante Adams.

The group also consists of Hunter Renfrow, a 1,000-yard receiver in 2021 whose name has appeared in trade rumors throughout the offseason. Jakobi Meyers, Keelan Cole, and Phillip Dorsett are among the other receivers expected to compete for snaps with Tucker.