The Las Vegas Raiders are young at defensive tackle. There are true veterans in the building with Adam Butler and Benito Jones, but most of the rest of the group was drafted in the last two seasons. Two players who will be fighting for a starting spot are Tonka Hemingway and Jonah Laulu.
Laulu was not drafted by the Raiders but was claimed on waivers before the 2024 NFL season. He showed potential late that year, earning a chance to start in 2025. It didn’t go too well, and his play was inconsistent after a hot start. As a result, he could find himself in a competition for 2026.
That competition will come from Tonka Hemingway, who plays a similar position on the defensive line. Both players are 3-techniques or will be 5-techniques in Leonard’s 3-4 system. Hemingway had 4.0 sacks in 2025 on only 195 snaps, which keeps him in the mix for more playing time.
Stopping the run will decide who takes the starting spot on Raiders' DL
The main area in which Laulu and Hemingway both struggled is playing against the run, so who performs better there in training camp and during the preseason could very well decide who ultimately wins the job.
According to PFF, Laulu had a 34.4 run grade, and Hemingway was even worse at 29.7. Both players have to improve in this area if the Raiders want to succeed on defense, no matter who becomes the starter.
The issue with Hemingway is that he is an undersized defensive tackle. Listed at 284 pounds heading into the draft, he was always a tweener when it came to playing in the trenches. This often leads to him being pushed back in the run game and struggling to generate the play strength to gain leverage.
If Hemingway gets stronger and works on his pad level, he could take the step needed to win this battle.
Laulu has the same issue with being undersized. The difference is that Hemingway makes up for it with his ability to get after the quarterback. Laulu has to improve in both areas to truly make an impact when it comes to making waves with the defensive line. If he can’t show more potential as a pass rusher, this could be an easy decision for the Raiders' front office.
Hemingway and Laulu will be a battle to watch during training camp, with both being young and hungry players. Once the pads come on, the fireworks will begin, and the defensive tackle who proves he can handle the run and create pressure will emerge opposite Butler and Jones.
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