The first round of the NFL's annual draft has been a bugaboo for Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst. He's made up for it by hitting on several Day 2 and 3 selections, though some decisions still haunt him. Chief among his infamous blunders is spending the No. 29 overall pick on cornerback Eric Stokes in 2021, or so we thought.
Things didn't work out for Stokes in Green Bay following his solid rookie campaign, though health (or lack thereof) factored into the regression. But as one door with the Packers closed this offseason, another with the Las Vegas Raiders opened. He's further removed from the issues that limited him to 12 out of 34 possible regular-season games, which was apparent in his 2025 preseason debut.
Eric Stokes made Brian Gutekunst, Packers look like the problem in Raiders' preseason debut
Stokes' numbers don't jump off the screen by any means, logging just one solo tackle in Las Vegas' 23-23 exhibition tie with the Seattle Seahawks. Nonetheless, he started and made his presence felt despite the limited sample size, considering most of the starters were yanked after a series or two. Stats aside, the Raiders ostensibly liked what they saw from the former Georgia standout, listing him as a first-stringer again for their next tune-up match.
Las Vegas' unofficial depth chart for their upcoming meeting with the San Francisco 49ers has Stokes getting the nod. He'll line up opposite sixth-year veteran Darnay Holmes for a second consecutive contest with a chance to solidify himself atop the pecking order. Meanwhile, the Packers are searching for answers at corner, particularly after (temporarily) losing free-agent acquisition Nate Hobbs to a concerning torn meniscus.
Trading promising young defensive back Jakorian Bennett to the Philadelphia Eagles earlier this month could be seen as a vote of confidence in Stokes. This Las Vegas position group is incredibly thin, even including both players mentioned. Yet, the Raiders presumably don't reroute the former for a rotational defensive lineman in Thomas Booker IV without having a replacement ready.
In March, Stokes and the Raiders agreed to a one-year, $3.5 million contract that can reach $4 million with playing-time incentives. He appeared in all 17 regular-season affairs for the Packers in 2024, marking the first time in his career. The athletic speedster tallied 41 tackles across 588 defensive snaps, earning a slightly above-average Pro Football Focus (PFF) coverage grade.