Raiders roster 2026: Diving into the nose tackle competition

Smith, meanwhile, is listed at 6-foot-1 and 319 pounds, has the low center of gravity required to anchor and his powerful lower body allows him to not give up space. A run-stuffer for the Bruins, he has the ability and to get looks at a position group the Raiders are figuring out this offseason. While he went through the draft process tipping the scales at 319, Smith played heavier in college (as high as 340 pounds) and it was that mass which allowed him to be a true space eater.

The Enigma

• Laki Tasi

With the previous incompetent coaching staff out, the ill-fated move from defensive line to offensive line is officially over and the gargantuan 6-foot-6 and 373 pounds is just 22 and very much learning the NFL game. However, at his size and rugby background (take a look at the size of this kid’s thighs), the Australia native brings intriguing physical traits and potential at a position of need.

Tasi’s rugby play style — aggressive and attacking — is the type of mentality needed to be a man in the middle and the violence this International Player Pathway (IPP) program showcased in the other sport can be an asset in the close-quarters nature of being a nose tackle.

Plug Tasi at defensive tackle and his size, length, and mass immediately draws attention and likely double teams which can free up the linebackers behind him. And being a taller but well-built nose allows Tasi to disrupt the quarterback’s timing by impeding their vision.

There’s also a plus side for the Raiders since Tasi is an IPP product: Pathway players have a roster exemption which allows Las Vegas to put Tasi on the practice squad as the 17th member if he doesn’t make the 53-man roster.

Proving Grounds

• Brodric Martin
• JJ Pegues
• Adam Butler

I’ve explored Martin’s path to a roster spot back in late March, noting the 6-foot-5 and 330-pound 26-year-old has prototypical size but is a longshot due to not being able to anchor. The Detroit Lions were enamored by the Western Kentucky product’s physical traits, so much they took Martin in the third round of the 2023 draft (96th overall). Projected to be a sixth or seven-round prospect due to not playing low enough and getting moved rather than being able hold ground and occupy blocks, Martin flamed out in Detroit.

There’s always a chance another coaching staff and scheme can get a player turned around, but it’s looking like there’s not many stops for Martin if he can’t earn a roster spot in Las Vegas.

Which brings us to Pegues, a defensive tackle taken in the sixth round (180th overall) in Raiders general manager John Spytek’s inaugural draft as the Silver & Black’s chief personnel man. An athletic 6-foot-2 and 325-pounder, the Ole Miss product brings size and quickness to the table to provide more of a disruptive penetrating nose tackle rather than a space eater.

As a rookie, Pegues saw action nine games (zero starts) racking up 11 total tackles (four solo), one tackle for loss, and a fumble recovery in 137 defensive snaps (21 special teams snaps). With the starter and depth unsettled, this offseason is ample time for Pegues to cement his 53-man roster spot.

Finally, the veteran Butler.

While primarily one of the defensive linemen on a four-man front for much of his tenure as a Raider, the 32-year-old veteran who heads into his ninth season in the NFL and has experience in a three-man front. He’s dabbled at nose before and has lined up directly on the center for Las Vegas, too.

Like Pegues, Butler isn’t a traditional space-eating type at 6-foot-5 and 301 pounds but he has the savvy and pass-rush ability (11 sacks and 19 tackles for loss in three seasons in Silver & Black) to be a more disruptive backfield wrecker.

As mentioned above, the amount of time Las Vegas spends in it’s base 3-4 alignment under Leonard is definitely up for debate until we’re a few games into the regular season. Leonard is profiled as a versatile defensive mind who’ll use multiple alignments to: A. Put his defenders in the best possible position to succeed and B. Be unpredictable to the opposing offense.

Expect nickel and dime packages to be used too, be it 4-2-5 or 3-3-5 packages. Leonard potentially can deploy five-man fronts and run a 5-2 package, too. And with all that variance comes defensive tackles shifting from a beefy man in the middle at nose to a duo lined up on interior.