The Las Vegas Raiders are no stranger to flier defensive tackles becoming regular contributors. Veteran Adam Butler is a perfect example of exactly that.
After not playing in 2022, the Silver & Black took a chance on the defensive tackle in 2023 and in three seasons in Las Vegas, Butler emerged as a mainstay on the defensive line racking up 143 total tackles (72 solo), 11 sacks, 19 tackles for loss, and 24 quarterback hits in 49 games (31 starts).
There’s another long shot defensive tackle currently on the roster — Brodric Martin — as the Raiders reassemble under new head coach Klint Kubiak that can perhaps follow in Butler’s footsteps.
What makes Martin a long shot?
Unlike his veteran counterpart who arrived to the league as an undrafted free agent, Martin was a third-round pick (96th overall) by the Detroit Lions in the 2023 NFL Draft. After two uneventful seasons in Detroit, Martin was waived, bounced with the Kansas City Chiefs and Pittsburgh Steelers before being a Raiders’ waiver claim this past December.
By all intents and purposes, Martin is a flameout draft pick — hence the flier categorization.
But for a Las Vegas team transitioning to a 3-4 front under defensive coordinator Rob Leonard that has a need for a mammoth presence in the middle at nose tackle, there’s nary another Raiders that brings Martin’s 6-foot-5 and 330-pound frame to the table. And that can give the 26-year-old Western Kentucky a serious look this offseason.
Martin headed into the 2023 draft class with a reputation as classic space-eating nose tackle that could operate in both odd and even fronts. The Alabama native’s size and length made him a coveted prospect by the Lions who nabbed him 96th overall. He showed glimpses of the mammoth presence he could be during his two-year stint, but Detroit saw a detrimental part of Martin’s game up close and personal: Despite his ideal size and mass, he can’t hold his anchor.
Being able to plant and not be moved is the trait for a nose tackle.
So it’s no surprise that, after seeing the development trajectory (or lack of it) from Martin in two seasons that he was waived by the Lions. The defensive tackle’s three-year stint in the NFL reads: 6 games played, 1 start, with four total tackles in 63 total snaps on defense (two on special teams) as a result of an underwhelming start to his pro career.
The fleeting moments of brilliance and dominance were overshadowed by not being able to anchor and getting displaced too often.
That was the tale of the tape on Martin heading into the 2023 draft, though. Noted to play too tall resulting in loss over valuable leverage meant that despite his ideal blend of size and length, technician offensive linemen were able to usher him away from the play. The notion of being able to play lower, with better technique, and focus on being able to anchor while taking on double teams was very apparent and that’s why the draft projects for Martin were quite low: Sixth to seventh round.
But Detroit, dazzled by the prototypical mass Martin brought to table and the need for a block-eater to occupy the A-gaps, pounced on the defensive tackle in the third round.
Las Vegas has a similar need in their upcoming 3-4 front for a space-eating and block-occupying nose tackle that can control the line of scrimmage, take on multiple blocks, not lose ground, and shed to get to the ball carrier. This type of two-gap nose tackle lines up directly over the center and is responsible for the spaces between the center and guards (i.e. the A-gaps).
Leonard, alongside his defensive line coaches — Travis Smith and assistant Kenyon Jackson — alongside head strength and conditioning coach A.J. Neibel, assistants Rick Slate, Deuce Gruden, Matthew Fyle, Haley Roberts, and Tevin Duncan each play an integral role into helping the Raiders see if Martin can cut the mustard at nose tackle.
Perhaps that group can get the big man to play to his size, anchor, and not get moved so easily.
Otherwise, an incumbent defensive tackle like JJ Pegues (second year, 6-foot-2 and 325 pounds) get their shot to impress as a nose tackle — if not the tw0-gap space eater but a one-gap pocket pusher who can get in the backfield. There’s also intriguing International Pathway Program add Laki Tasi who stands at an impressive 6-foot-6 and 373 pounds but was moved from defensive line to offensive line by the previous coaching staff. Tasi has a rugby background by tree trunks for thighs and can be an immovable object type with continued NFL coaching at just age 22.
Then there’s the 2026 NFL Draft, an engagement where the Raiders own 11 total selections including the No. 1 , the 36th overall, and 67th overall picks in the first three rounds.
While it’s good to have a behemoth presence on the roster at this stage of the offseason, don’t expect general manager John Spytek to sit on his laurels in late April during the draft. Within those 11 picks, it’d be surprising not to see Las Vegas add another big man to compete for the nose tackle role.
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