Weighing in at 335 pounds, Benito Jones is one of the heaviest players on the Las Vegas Raiders roster. And that’s a good thing.
The 6-foot-1 defensive tackle provides the requisite mass to both draw attention from multiple blockers and be a run-stuffing presence in the middle of the Silver & Black defensive line as a nose tackle. Brought onto the roster on May 13 after the team waived fellow nose tackle Brodric Martin, Jones brings valuable experience as a starting defensive tackle in the NFL — he spent
time with both the Miami Dolphins and Tennessee Titans in his five years in the NFL — and that’s sorely needed for a relatively young group of mammoth nose tackles in Las Vegas.
Having started 38 of the 71 games he’s played since entering the league with the Dolphins as an undrafted free agent out of Mississippi, Jones knows the rigors of NFL life. And that knowledge imparted on the Raiders’ youth can prove is invaluable. This past season, the Mississippi native started eight games (played in 14) for Miami and while he may be a later addition to Las Vegas roster, he has a high likelihood of making the team.
By The Numbers
Benito Jones, Nose Tackle, 6th year
- 2025: 14 games (8 starts), 15 total tackles, two tackles for loss, 1 sack, 1 pass deflection
- Career: (2020-25) 71 games (38 starts), 83 total tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, 3 pass deflections
Jones’ ability and presence certainly helps the Raiders, but the team’s long-term plan at a key position group is a concern. We’ll explore both below.
Ideal Fit
For defensive coordinator Rob Leonard’s 3-4 front to truly work, there must be a domineering presence in the middle of three-down linemen. The nose tackle is the space-eater intended to clog the interior, occupy blocks, use their strength to anchor and not move, and push the pocket when asked.
Jones proved he can get that done over the course of his career with the 2023 and 2024 seasons — split between the Lions and Dolphins — as his most productive, statistically. Using his 6-foot-1, 335-pound frame and country strength, Jones is a classic interior clogger who ties up multiple blockers and frees up linebackers and other defenders to make plays while he draws attention.
With functional strength to anchor and provide an immovable object in the middle, Jones has the ability to shed both double teams and one-on-one blocks to stymie the ball carrier as a true 3-4 front nose tackle. He also provides surprising pocket pressure when given the opportunity, as Pro Football Reference charted the defensive tackle with 16 career pressures, four quarterback hurries, and 3.5 sacks.
Gaudy statistics don’t tend to be a nose tackle’s calling card, so if you’re unimpressed with Jones’ career numbers, don’t be surprised.
What helps bolster Jones’ roster chances are two-fold: First, Leonard is familiar with the nose tackle having been on the Dolphins’ coaching staff as an assistant defensive line coach in 2020. He saw Jones up close during his rookie campaign as an undrafted free agent find. Second, as the veteran, Jones is in competition with young developmental types in J.J. Pegues (sixth round, 180th overall, 2025 NFL Draft), Brandon Cleveland (seventh round, 229th overall, 2026 draft), Gary Smith III (undrafted, 2026), and Laki Tasi (undrafted, NFL International Pathway Program, 2025).
The Depth
Mentioning the younger Raiders vying for the nose tackle spot is ample time to talk about group the Raiders have in totality.
Cleveland and Smith are the two newest additions to the group. The former is a late-round pick out of North Carolina State while the latter is a post-draft signing from UCLA. Cleveland, who is taller at 6-foot-4 and 315 pounds, and Smith, a squatty 6-foot-1 and 319 pounds, are 21 and 24 years of age, respectively, providing Leonard two rookies to develop.
Then there’s Pegues and Tasi, who enter Year 2 in Las Vegas.
Pegues brings requisite size at 6-foot-2 and 325 pounds as a 24-year-old while Tasi blows everyone out of the water at 6-foot-6 and 373 pounds. The 22-year-old is the heaviest Raider on the roster by 38 pounds (Jones is the next heaviest).
Of that group, only Pegues has live NFL snaps under his belt with 137 as a rookie (21 on special teams). In the nine games he played, the Mississippi State product compiled 11 total tackles with one tackle for loss and a fumble recovery.
That’s not to say the others don’t have the potential and talent to become contributors, but based on limited participation rate compared to Jones, the veteran provides strong competition for the young group above. It’s the starting experience and production that gives the vet a leg up and Pegues, Cleveland, Smith, and Tasi must consistently show they’re worthy options when the Raiders embark on training camp and preseason tilts later this month.
The Long-Term
At ages 21 and 22, respectively, Cleveland and Tasi provide supremely young developmental types that can seize the nose tackle spot — if they progress properly.
Coming out of NC State, Cleveland brings the functional strength to be an A-gap dominator and has the tenacity to truly muddy the waters on the interior. His ability to squat and sit heavy at the anchor alongside rarely getting knocked back or off-balance are key traits and if he can bring that against NFL competition, the Raiders have themselves a late-round find. The drawbacks to his game are his lack of ideal length, meaning bigger and longer guards can neutralize Cleveland and his sluggish change of direction means zone blocking units can seal him off moving laterally.
Then there’s Tasi, a gargantuan former rugby player transitioning to professional football. At his size, the Australia native is back to defensive line work after spending last season as an offensive linemen under the previous coaching staff. Tasi showcases speed and agility that a man his size shouldn’t possess and the lower and upper body strength is evidenced by his sheer size alone.
Both both will need in-game experience, either preseason or regular season, to not only get valuable snaps but teach tape as they progress. And obtaining that this season may be a steep climb considering Jones’ presence and the fact NFL teams are shifting away from their base formations to sub package alignments that puts five defensive backs on the field to combat the pass-happy nature of the league.
Las Vegas is afforded time to develop and hone the younger nose tackles on the roster. Jones’ presence buys them that time. But sooner or later, Leonard and the Raiders need to know exactly what they have with the depth. And there’s no better way of assessment than regular season snaps.
