The Raiders Coaching Staff's Ability to Develop Talent on Display

As veteran defensive tackle Christian Wilkins continues to work his way back, the Las Vegas Raiders plan to lean on their depth at the position. Wilkins' absence gives several other players a chance to develop until he returns. One of those players is rookie tackle Tonka Hemingway.

The Raiders drafted Hemingway in the fourth round of the NFL Draft out of South Carolina. While the Raiders are still putting things together, Hemingway will have his chances at one point or another this season, and he has the skill set to take advantage of them.

Following minicamp, one of the Raiders' most productive players from last season, veteran defensive lineman Adam Butler, spoke about how well Hemingway and J.J. Pegues are coming along.

"Yeah, I think they work hard. I don't sense that – some guys come in and you can tell if it really matters to them or not. It really matters to these guys kind of too much sometimes. You want them to loosen up. I try to tell them loosen up, but they're all the whole time, and that's how you know that they really care, though, and they're intentional about their work. So, I'm pleased with them in the way that they've come to work," Butler said.

The Draft Network noted that Hemingway is a player the Raiders will look to develop over the next few seasons, as he is a raw talent with considerable upside.

The Raiders are confident that Hemingway will excel under Defensive Line Coach Rob Leonard, who has proven he can develop players of various talent levels.

"It's evident that Hemingway would best fit in a penetration defense where he’s not asked to two-gap defenders unless playing as a C-gap defender—Hemingway did show a strong ability to get his hands from 2 to 1 and maintain C-gap integrity. In the passing game, there’s a baseline skill set that’s worth mentioning," the Draft Network said.

"Hemingway’s length joined with several different pass-rush moves offers some considerable upside. With this being said, Hemingway struggled to get to counter-moves when his initial attempt would be stopped. He struggled to use power moves or counters to apply pressure to the pocket.

"The one thing Hemingway does, maybe better than any in this class, is deflect passes at the line of scrimmage. All in all, Hemingway best projects as a developmental, positionless defensive lineman capable of being productive from several alignments and situations."

Although it is early and players were not in their full uniforms for Organized Team Activities and minicamp, much of what the Draft Network noted was evident when Hemingway took the field.

The rookie had an interception in minicamp, showcasing his ability to make plays on the ball while on the defensive line. As he continues to learn from the veterans around him and the Raiders' coaching staff, Hemingway has plenty of untapped potential waiting for the Raiders to unleash.

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