Maxx Crosby just put the entire NFL world on to a former Oklahoma Sooners defender who has a huge opportunity in 2025

Maxx Crosby thinks former Sooners defensive tackle Jonah Laulu is special

One of the best guys in the league on the defensive line thinks that he is going to be amazing.

"I can't lie. Jonah is a special talent, dude can play. He doesn't even know it yet, but he's going to be a hell of a player," defensive end Maxx Crosby said after the Raiders' first practice of their 2025 training camp. 

"Tonka. J.J. [Pegues], you've got Tyree [Wilson] getting reps inside, and he's gotten reps inside the last couple of years as well, but we've got a ton of talent. I trust those guys. I know they're going to be ready when it comes to game day, because we need them. They're going to be out there playing Week One, Week Two, Week Three, all the way through the season. So, we know they're young, but we need them if we want a chance to win. And I know they're going to step up."

If anyone knows about playing on the defensive line, whether it's rushing the passer or stopping the run, which Crosby is pretty much the best at -- it's him. So, when he says that Laulu is a special player, one hell of a player, actually, and he says so somewhat unprompted -- that means something.

Laulu began his college football journey at Hawaii, where he initially played as part of the scout team before emerging as a key player. His move to Oklahoma in 2022 was huge, and he was a great player on their defense. A big reason was his transition from a defensive end to a defensive tackle. He was super versatile and is using the skill sets from both positions to help him transition into a good NFL player.

In his time with the Sooners, Laulu recorded 31 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks over two seasons. Laulu's physical attributes and athleticism were on full display during Oklahoma's Pro Day. Despite not receiving an invitation to the NFL Combine, Laulu's Pro Day performance caught the eye of NFL scouts. His selection by the Indianapolis Colts in the seventh round (234th overall) of the 2024 NFL Draft was a testament to his potential.

In 244 rush snaps, which really isn't that many over the course of a season, Laulu had 10 pressures and one sack as an interior defender, which is actually really good. The future is bright, but he has to continue to put in the work. Luckily, he has Crosby to learn from in that aspect.

In 2025, Wilkins could start the season unable to play. So, that means Laulu could be in for a huge season.