The Las Vegas Raiders added some intriguing prospects during the 2025 NFL Draft.
Of course, the name that will get the most attention in Ashton Jeanty. Jeanty was the top running back prospect in the class and should immediately transform the team’s ground game after racking up a whopping 2,601 rushing yards in his final season at Boise State.
Second-round wide receiver Jack Bech and third-round cornerback Darien Porter should also play big roles immediately, but one of the team’s fourth-round picks could end up being a breakout star.
Tonka Hemingway was selected by the Raiders in the fourth round out of South Carolina this year. The big defensive lineman was exceptional as a run defender in 2024, but also showed some ability as a pass rusher.
Travian Robertson, the defensive line coach for South Carolina, talked about Hemingway this week and gave an impressive comparison for the rookie.
“I see [Tonka] being a pass-rusher in the NFL will be his main attribute,” Robertson told Silver and Black Pride. “He is an all-around player, and he can play anywhere on the line, but I just see him being a big-time pass-rusher. He cares so much. He’s all business. He’s all football. The main thing is the main thing for him. He’s never going to stop working.”
“I see Maxx (Crosby) in him,” Robertson continued. “I think it’s going to be a very good thing that Tonka will have Maxx with him.”
That’s certainly a glowing comparison, as Crosby, who works incredibly hard, has blossomed into one of the league’s top edge-rushers since entering the league in 2019.
There are some notable similarities, though. Both Crosby and Hemingway were fourth-round picks who didn’t have much fanfare ahead of their rookie seasons.
Learning from a player like Crosby should certainly help Hemingway reach his full potential in the NFL.
As mentioned above, Hemingway was mostly a run-stopper in college but did flash some pass-rush skill. Overall, the South Carolina product racked up 112 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, and 9.5 sacks in 61 college games.
In Las Vegas, Hemingway seemingly has a path to significant playing time as a rookie. Christian Wilkins and Adam Butler are locked in as the starters, but the depth is lacking and Wilkins suffered an injury setback this offseason.
Wilkins is expected to be ready for the start of the season, but if he were to miss any time, there would be a huge opportunity for Hemingway.
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