The Las Vegas Raiders are embarking upon a new era, so things have looked a bit different at the team facility this offseason. Not only is the culture being shifted under new head coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Spytek, but the physical makeup of the team is as well.
Carroll and Spytek both love big, long, fast and physical players. While this sounds like something every NFL leadership tandem wants on their team, the new regime in Las Vegas is actually instituting it and practicing what they preach.
It was evident that they wanted a certain kind of player this offseason, and to make matters better, they stopped at nothing to acquire them. They even signed Laki Tasi, a 6-foot-6 and 373-pound lineman from Australia, by way of the International Player Pathway.
OL Laki Tasi shining for Raiders from the International Player Pathway
Tasi, a former rugby player, came in as a projected defensive tackle. It did not take long, however, for the staff in Las Vegas to realize that he was better suited as an interior offensive lineman. This did not make much of a difference to Tasi, who played in his first-ever football game last Thursday.
He played just 13 snaps for the Raiders against the Seattle Seahawks in the preseason matchup, but he was the highest-graded player on the Las Vegas offense, by a solid margin, according to Pro Football Focus. Tasi recorded a grade of 84.6 and had a nasty pancake block to pair with it.
This is not bad for a player who, on Wednesday, told reporters at the Raiders' facility that when he came into the building, his football knowledge was around a one or a two on a scale of one to 10. Now, however, despite acknowledging where he needs to still improve, he feels he's at a 7 now.
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It should help, also, that Tasi is idolizing a player who went through a similar adjustment and was able to develop into one of the league's best. He also told reporters on Wednesday that his biggest inspiration is Jordan Mailata, an Australian-born rugby player-turned-All-Pro-lineman for the Eagles.
With Alex Cappa out due to injury, Dylan Parham being a free agent next offseason, and the new regime seemingly not sold on Jackson Powers-Johnson, there is plenty of runway for Tasi to develop into a force at the NFL level.
Tasi's rise has been remarkable, and it should give Raider Nation hope that he is truly just starting on his journey. This cannot be ignored by Carroll and the rest of the staff, as he may be an integral part of the team's future and cannot be treated like just another end-of-roster player.