The Las Vegas Raiders have made several massive changes to the roster this offseason under new general manager John Spytek and head coach Pete Carroll. Gone are the days of spending big money in free agency; this team will be built through the draft.
Spytek and the front office selected 11 players during the 2025 NFL Draft and added another 15 or so as undrafted free agents. When the event was over, they also picked up Laki Tasi, a player from Brisbane, Australia, who came to Las Vegas through the International Player Pathway (IPP).
At 6-foot-6 and just a shade under 350 pounds, Tasi also has 34-inch arms and an 81 and 1/2-inch wingspan. He is an incredible athlete who comes from a rugby background and fans were excited about him competing in the defensive tackle room.
Rob Leonard may have leaked Raiders plans for Laki Tasi
However, defensive line coach Rob Leonard threw things for a loop last week. When talking to various members of the media, he may have leaked that the Silver and Black have different plans for Tasi than originally reported.
"I got a little spoiler alert for you," Leonard said. "We actually moved him, whether I should say this or not, but to offensive guard. So, he went to the other side (of the ball). But, you know, hopefully, we can teach him some defense too, he's an athletic big guy and he's a great kid."
While Tasi's switch was certainly unexpected, it could actually be the best thing for both him and the team. Although Christian Wilkins' health is a major question mark for the defensive tackle room right now, the team already invested two draft picks in the position this year.
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By contrast, the Raiders only added one offensive guard during the draft, and they seem uncertain about both Jordan Meredith and Dylan Parham. Alex Cappa is penciled in as the starter at right guard for now, but he only has a two-year contract, and both Meredith and Parham are set to be free agents next year.
Like Leonard said, Tasi is a big athletic guy. In fact, he is both the tallest guard on Las Vegas' roster and the heaviest offensive lineman by nearly 30 pounds.
Tasi's learning curve will still be immense given his minimal football background. But, he has all the characteristics to be an incredible trench player for the Raiders, no matter what side of the ball he is on.