The Las Vegas Raiders addressed almost all of their major needs in the first three rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft.
With the No. 6 overall pick, the Raiders selected Heisman Trophy finalist Ashton Jeanty, the consensus top running back in the class. The team also took a wide receiver and a cornerback on Day 2, both of whom should be Week 1 starters.
There was a pivot, however, at the end of the third round. With the No. 98 and No. 99 picks, they selected two offensive linemen that are projected to be backups, and at the beginning of the fourth round, they selected a rotational wide recevier.
Raiders just pulled off a draft heist with combine's top athlete on Day 3
With the No. 135 pick in the fourth round, which the team acquired through their second-round trade back with the Miami Dolphins, the Raiders selected South Carolina defensive lineman Tonka Hemingway.
Outside of having the coolest name in the draft, Hemingway is also a very intriguing prospect for both defensive coordinator Patrick Graham and defensive line coach Rob Leonard to work with.
Hemingway spent five seasons playing for the Gamecocks in the SEC, participating in 61 games in that span. Over his last three campaigns, he totaled 90 tackles, including 17 for a loss, as well as 9.5 sacks and six fumble recoveries.
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His production was tremendous at South Carolina, but more impressive was his earning the top athleticism grade among all defensive linemen at the NFL scouting combine.
While he is considered to be a tweener prospect between defensive tackle and defensive end, his athleticism and statistical contribution cannot be denied. He may need some time to figure out where he fits best in the NFL, but the Raiders have a strong defensive line group, so they can be patient with the young player.
Las Vegas needed another rotational piece in the defensive line room, and they got exactly that when they selected Hemingway. Given his immense athleticism, production and versatility, the Raiders got an absolute steal in Round 4.