Raiders receiver shows he’s more than ‘combine fast’ in breakout season

Raiders wide receiver Tre Tucker is off to a fast start in his third NFL season. Like, really fast.

That shouldn’t come as a surprise. Tucker had the fastest average speed in the NFL last season, according to the “Football 301” podcast. The 24-year-old also eclipsed 15 mph on 40 percent of his plays, which led the league.

Tucker was a track star in high school, winning back-to-back Ohio state titles in both the 100 meters and the long jump. That speed showed up at the combine when he ran a 4.4-second 40-yard dash, but he didn’t post one of the top 10 times in the 2023 draft class.

It’s rare when Tucker is not the fastest man on the football field, however.

“The combine is what it is,” said Tucker, a third-round pick out of Cincinnati. “There are people who run fast or whatever, but if you look at the track record, speed has always been my game. I feel like I’ve always been the fastest wherever I am.”

First-year offensive coordinator Chip Kelly noticed Tucker’s speed right away this offseason. He’s been looking to use it to the Raiders’ advantage ever since.

“I just know from the day when we got here and we got out there in (organized team activities), his speed was evident to me,” Kelly said. “And, I told him the unique thing about him is that there are some guys that are fast, but they’re like combine fast. So, they ran a really fast time at the combine, but then when you get to practice, you don’t really notice them. Like from OTAs on, I felt him on the field. Like you feel him running by people and separating from people and running.”

Now, opponents are feeling it, too.

Living a fantasy

Tucker had a career day with eight catches for 145 yards and three touchdowns against the Commanders on Sunday.

That’s made him a popular player in fantasy football and is causing him to gain national attention.

Not that he cares.

“I’m very much a ‘no distractions’ guy,” said Tucker, who has 13 catches for 211 yards through three games. “It’s just about respect for me. It makes me feel good when I go on the field and opponents know I’m the real deal. The other stuff is cool, but I’m not into social media or any of that. I keep my head focused on what I have to get done and ultimately where I want to go. I don’t even see any of that stuff unless someone sends it to me.”

Tucker, who has caught all four of quarterback Geno Smith’s touchdown passes this season, has made himself a focal point of opposing game plans. That’s an impressive feat given he was largely an afterthought the last two years.

Working for it

Tucker totaled 66 catches for 870 yards his first two NFL seasons. He’s likely to exceed those numbers this year alone. Tucker felt early on he could thrive under Kelly and coach Pete Carroll.

“One thing I love about Chip is he told me right away in the spring, ‘Players, not plays,’ ” Tucker said. “At the end of the day, he’s right. Players matter. But at the same time, the staff has been amazing because you can be a special player but not in the right scheme or with the right fit. There’s a lot of things that have to go right. These coaches have been great about putting me where I need to be and letting me exploit my talents. It’s been great so far.”

Kelly believes Tucker’s success is more about his work ethic, something he pointed out in an offensive meeting this week.

“The way he practices is the way he’s playing right now,” Kelly said. “He practices at a really, really high level. And I’m a firm believer, and I didn’t make this up, but you sink to your level of training, you don’t rise to the occasion on game day. Tre sinks to his level of training, but his level of training is at a really, really high level now. It’s as good as I’ve seen, and all the credit goes to him, 100 percent.”

His speed doesn’t hurt, either.

Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.