HENDERSON, Nev. -- When Laki Tasi took a trip to Grubbies Burgers and Hawaiian BBQ in Queensland, Australia, last September, he was given more than a meal to satisfy his hunger.
Tasi was enjoying a double patty burger when he had a conversation with his friend and the restaurant's owner, Ben Niumata. They discussed life in depth until their conversation shifted to the NFL.
At the time, Tasi was a member of the Ashgrove GPS Rugby Club of the Queensland Premier Rugby Union and was largely unfamiliar with American football. However, the NFL fan Niumata was strongly convinced that Tasi's size, 6-foot-6 and 346 pounds at the time, was better suited for the gridiron.
"He was like 'You should try the NFL,'" Tasi recalled. "He [saw] my potential... I didn't see that [in myself] on that day."
Niumata, nicknamed "Sweet," helped Tasi get his foot in the door. Niumata connected Tasi with a manager, Zen Ginnen, the founder of Ginnen Sports Management Group. Ginnen encouraged Tasi to try out for the NFL Academy in Gold Coast, Queensland, eventually leading to his selection for the NFL's International Pathway Program.
Tasi's young football journey has taken him to Las Vegas, where he is competing for a roster spot on the Raiders. Tasi doesn't have experience like his teammates, and didn't know anything about his new coach Pete Carroll until he signed as an undrafted free agent in April.
But Tasi's progress since rookie minicamp in May has left an impression on the 73-year-old coach and the organization.
"It's a real treasure just to watch him develop," Carroll said.
Tasi, age 21 and one of seven siblings, played rugby for most of his life. As a rugby player, Tasi was a part of a community league when he was 12, then transitioned to rugby union in high school. Rugby union consists of 15 players on the field, compared to 13 in league.
Despite plenty of years as a player under his belt, Tasi didn't see a prosperous professional rugby career on the horizon.
Tasi, a native of Goodna, Australia, didn't have a clear idea of what was next in his life. He prayed about the opportunity to get into football. Although Tasi knew the development process was going to take time, it was worth the risk.
Over time, Tasi developed a mindset that he would use to navigate the uncharted waters of football. A year before joining the NFL IPP program, Tasi -- who at one point weighed around 450 pounds -- went through a weight loss journey, shedding between 100 to 150 pounds while playing rugby.
Tasi also worked at a warehouse for three years to help his parents pay the bills. Tasi says his days were long, and sleep was hard to come by. He stacked boxes from 3 am to 2 pm. After work, he went home, took a quick nap, ate, and trained until 9:30 p.m.
"That was a grind and hustle," said Tasi. "[But] that's how I got my mindset to focus."
Tasi said he spent 10 weeks of training with the NFL IPP program was tough. Learning how to compete against defensive lineman, Tasi had to spend hours watching film and performing combine-style drills. "Everything was happening all at once, which wasn't easy," he said.
Tasi joined the Raiders with a bit of comfort level at defensive line. But following rookie minicamp, he was presented with a whole new challenge: He had to join the offensive line. The move to offense required him to learn a whole new playbook.
Tasi put his head down and embraced the challenge.
"It's been quite hard, but you just gotta keep learning," he said.
On a scale of 1 to 10, Tasi admitted his knowledge of football was around two when he started. Through four weeks of training camp, Tasi said he's at a 7.
He has relied heavily on veterans including offensive tackle Kolton Miller, guards Alex Cappa and Dylan Parham, and center Jordan Meredith to grow accustomed to the linemen position. He hasn't been afraid to ask questions regarding play calls, footwork and hand placements.
"He's huge," Meredith said of Tasi. "...You always want a big guy to be able to play the sport. You see them all the time, and you're like, 'That guy needs to play football here in high school.' So for him to come in and slowly start to get that strength and put it towards football, it's pretty cool seeing that."
In June, Carroll said Tasi, currently listed at 373 pounds, was his "favorite player" to watch. Although Tasi grabbed the attention of Carroll, the 21-year-old lineman didn't know anything about the Super Bowl-winning coach's rich history until he researched him ahead of rookie minicamp.
Eventually, Tasi developed a strong connection with Carroll, calling the 73-year-old a second father.
"I was like, 'Man, this guy has an aura,'" Tasi said.
The Raiders' preseason opener against the Seattle Seahawks was a momentous night for Tasi. To celebrate, Carroll allowed Tasi to walk out for the coin toss along with quarterback Geno Smith, defensive end Maxx Crosby and punter AJ Cole.
Carroll and players have commended Tasi's development, which was noticeable during last week's matchup that resulted in a 23-23 tie. Playing right guard in the fourth quarter, Tasi used his immense size and power to pancake Seahawks defensive lineman J.R. Singleton while running back Chris Collier rushed up the middle for a three-yard gain.
"Most of us played football when we were 10 years old," Carroll said. "He started a couple of months ago, and so it was exciting to see him do something and have fun out there."
Said Meredith: "He would go in the wrong direction. ...Just [to] see him go out there and dominate the way he did was awesome."
Tasi said learning football at the highest level has been scary. He understands he has a long way to go, but is hopeful that he can have a career in the NFL. Although the team has admired Tasi's development, making the initial 53-man roster will be a challenge. Tasi has received third-team reps during training camp, playing behind starter Jackson Powers-Johnson and backups Caleb Rogers and Atonio Mafi.
The Raiders, however, could sign Tasi to the 17th practice squad roster spot reserved for international athletes across any of the 32 teams if he does not make the roster.
During his process, Tasi has used Jordan Mailata as his biggest source of inspiration.
Mailata, a former rugby player from Sydney, Australia, never played a snap of football before he joined the NFL IPP program and was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the seventh round in 2018.
Mailata has started in 69 games in five seasons. In 2024, he was named second-team All-Pro while helping the Eagles beat the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX.
"Hopefully one day I can do that," Tasi said.