Levi Drake Rodriguez active for Minnesota Vikings

Levi Drake Rodriguez will be active for the first time ever on Sunday night, something that will make a lot of Vikings fans happy, after following his story and falling in love with his character, this spring. Now, they’ll get to see him on and NFL football field for the first time, during the regular season.

#INDvsMIN inactivates pic.twitter.com/zbVnlekVB7

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) November 3, 2024

Levi Drake Rodriguez, who was picked out of at No. 232 overall out of Texas A&M University-Commerce, was the annual “Prospect X” for The Athletic, which highlights ‘the most underrated player’ of each draft. One thing that becomes clear, as you read that piece is that Rodriguez is one of the most humble, hard working day three prospects to come out of the draft… ever.

X seems to improve the mood of everyone he interacts with. He took a selfie with a personnel employee he connected with during a visit to the workmanlike team. That employee wrote down three words in a notebook after their conversation that day. “I love X.”

Every one of his coaches tells a version of the same story: They showed up at 5 a.m. and X was already on the field, sweating and putting himself through individual work, busy drilling his hands and his feet. “Then he goes to practice,” his defensive coordinator says. “That’s not normal.”

The Athletic

Would bet good 💵 that Vikings 7th round DT Levi Drake Rodriguez has a long career in the NFL

Can't teach this kind of effort and violence pic.twitter.com/EtcQBpOwCu

— Mike Renner (@mikerenner_) August 18, 2024

In 50 games for A&M Commerce, LDR racked up 221 tackles, 43.5 tackles for loss and 22 sacks. When you are that much better than your competition, that’s what your numbers should look like.

Related: Kirk Cousins Gets Best of Mike Zimmer in Battle of Former Vikings

But Rodriguez has all of the intangibles to turn that talent into something better. And the Minnesota Vikings need help on the interior defensive line. So if LDR can take advantage of whatever reps he gets today, who knows what could happen going forward.

It’s clear the arrow is pointed straight up right now, but who has improved their stock the most through five weeks? Better yet, which Vikings have lowered their stock the most? Below, we dive into the 13 biggest winners and losers through five weeks of play.

Related: What We Learned About the Minnesota Vikings in London Win Over Jets

Winner: Sam Darnold

Prior to the Vikings’ Week 5 win, Darnold was looking like an early MVP candidate. His stats no longer have him leading the NFL in passing yards, but he still ranks second, and the rest of his numbers are still respectable.

• Sam Darnold stats: 63.5% comp. rate, 1,111 passing yards, 11 TD, 4 INT – 64.9 PFF grade (22nd among QBs)

Even if Darnold’s stats aren’t as gaudy as they once were, he’s still 5-0. As long as the Vikings keep winning, he’ll stay in the MVP conversation, but expecting him to win over other heavyweights like Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, or Patrick Mahomes is wishful thinking.

Still, he’s put himself in position to earn a massive payday from another team at the end of the season, and he’ll always have a special place in the Vikings’ hearts for taking a chance on him. After all, there’s no doubt the Vikings wouldn’t be on top of the NFC North without the former first-round pick.

Related: Where does Sam Darnold land in the latest NFL QB Rankings?

Loser: Ty Chandler

Entering the season, speculation pointed to Chandler nearly splitting rushing opportunities with Aaron Jones. Those reports couldn’t have been more wrong. We’ll get to Jones in a second, but this space is specially reserved for the Vikings’ backup running back.

Chandler has flashed moments of greatness. On Sunday, he had a 32-yard rush called back due to an illegal formation that had nothing to do with him. Otherwise? He’s been fairly ineffective rushing behind the same line Jones is thriving behind.

He’s carried the ball 42 times for 147 yards and zero touchdowns. That equates to just a 3.5 YPC average. For a point of reference, that’s worse than the 3.9 YPC Alexander Mattison averaged last season. In other words, Chandler just hasn’t gotten the job done.

Related: NFL Expert Kevin Durant Believes in the Minnesota Vikings and Sam Darnold

Winner: Aaron Jones

Chandler hasn’t lived up to the coaching staff’s expectations, but Jones definitely has. It’s clear the Vikings got a bargain by signing the former Packers Pro Bowl rusher to a one-year, $7 million contract. In fact, it might be time to see if he’s interested in a short-term extension.

The Vikings have been significantly better this season when Aaron Jones is on the field 💪

With Jones (165 plays)

– EPA per play: 0.02
– Yards per play: 6.1
– Plays resulting in a TD or 1st down: 30.9%
– Completion %: 72.5
– Success rate: 47.3%
– Yards per pass attempt: 9.7
-… https://t.co/NnJHi3Qxlx pic.twitter.com/lNxOPIiuBD

— The 33rd Team (@The33rdTeamFB) October 7, 2024

When healthy, Jones has helped power an offense that ranks sixth in scoring this season. He’s done so while averaging a robust 4.9 YPC, racking up 350 yards and a rushing touchdown on 71 carries. Darnold has also learned to rely on him as a pass-catcher, where the 30-year-old has tacked on an additional 167 receiving yards and a TD catch on 17 receptions.

As great as some of the other free agency signings have been, a strong case can be made that Jones has been the single greatest addition to the Vikings’ roster this offseason. Yet, there are plenty of other contenders who can claim that title too.

Related: Minnesota Vikings Injury News: Latest Update on Aaron Jones Hip Injury

Loser: Ed Ingram

You already know the story. The Vikings selected Ed Ingram with the 59th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. He was selected ahead of several players who have since become Pro Bowlers such as James Cook (Dalvin’s brother), Riq Woolen, and Brock Purdy.

Sure, he’s been a constant fixture in the starting lineup for all 37 games of his career. The issue is he grades very poorly in pass protection. This year he has a 29.4 grade per Pro Football Focus for his pass blocking. He’s lightyears ahead as a run blocker, with a still below-average grade of 62.2. Add it all up, and Ingram ranks 61st among 70 guards graded by PFF this season. In other words, he’s replaceable.

Does @Vikings RG Ed Ingram need replaced once G Dalton Risner is healthy?

Thru 5 weeks (per @PFF)*:
💥Overall: 52.7 (155 of 177)
💥Run Block: 62.2 (107 of 177)
💥Pass Block: 29.4 (173 of 177)
💥3 sacks (159 of 177)
💥1 QB hit (T-64 of 177)
💥13 QB hurries (176 of 177)
💥17 QB… pic.twitter.com/86s6vs6kjS

— The Purple Persuasion (@TPPSkol) October 7, 2024

Related: Minnesota Vikings Fans Love Aaron Jones… but Not Like His Former QB Does

Winner: Patrick Jones II

Feeling like they needed more pass-rushers, the Vikings traded up to select Dallas Turner in the first round of April’s draft. Yet, if Brian Flores knew how much production he’d get from Patrick Jones II as he enters a contract year, maybe Turner would have never been selected.

Obviously Turner is still the future at the position, but Jones has performed very well in a rotational role. It’s been just five games, but he’s already up to a career-high five sacks this season. That’s included back-to-back two-sack performances to start the season after cooling off as of late.

Still, for a 26-year-old in a career year, Jones is setting himself up for a nice payday in free agency, and it probably won’t come from the Vikings with them already invested in Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, and Turner.

Related: Rich Eisen Called Out by Internet (and KFAN) for Biased Call of Vikings vs Jets

Loser: Dallas Turner

Have you seen Dallas Turner? To be fair, the 17th overall pick was one of the youngest players selected in the 2024 NFL Draft, at just 21 years old. The Vikings didn’t add him to the roster and expect Turner to be the team’s defensive MVP as a rookie.

Turner did miss a game with an injury, and he’s played just 78 defensive snaps, or 27% of the team’s plays when he’s healthy. But let’s not even think about placing a bust label on this sack artist yet. He did record a sack in his NFL debut, and even blew up a play in Sunday’s win over the Jets.

Yet, for those who expected Turner to compete for the Defensive Rookie of the Year award have to be a bit disappointed so far. But Turner’s slow start is due to no fault of his own, it’s simply due to how well his teammates ahead of him on the depth chart are playing.

Related: Top 10 Minnesota Vikings 1st Round Draft Picks of All-Time

Winner: Andrew Van Ginkel

Admit it, when Andrew Van Ginkel signed, many Vikings fans asked, “Who?” It hasn’t taken the Iowa native long to make an impression. In fact, he’s made a case to be the Vikings’ defensive MVP thus far. Some NFL experts are even asking themselves whether AVG is the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year right now.

Andrew Van Ginkel, who also had an interception-return TD in Week 1, is the first player in @NFL history with 3 sacks and multiple interception-return TDs in his team's first 5 games of a season. https://t.co/2napWrXhKy

— NFL345 (@NFL345) October 6, 2024

Van Ginkel has an elite 90.8 coverage grade via PFF through five weeks (best mark among edge rushers). Which is crazy, considering his primary job is to rush the passer.

But his unique skillset is exactly what the Vikings were attracted to. When quarterbacks line up at the line of scrimmage, they have absolutely no clue whether Van Ginkel is about to drop back in coverage or rush full speed at their feet. It’s working to perfection.

Related: Minnesota Vikings Partying Like it’s 1998

Loser: Levi Drake Rodriguez

Let’s not be too harsh here. Levi Drake Rodriguez was always considered a longshot prospect from the very moment he arrived with the Vikings as the 232nd pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Many seventh-round picks like him don’t even make the team.

Yet, LDR snuck onto the roster thanks to a non-stop motor plus a lack of defensive line depth in Minnesota. However, we’ve seen fellow undrafted rookie Taki Taimani active for all five games, and Rodriguez has been a healthy scratch in all five.

But this means nothing in the grand scheme. Odds are, the Vikings are still very high on the 24-year-old prospect, he may just need a bit more seasoning before the coaching staff feels they can trust him in a live game.

Related: Minnesota Vikings Already ‘Love’ Their New Longshot NFL Prospect X

Winner: Stephon Gilmore

When the Vikings were sniffing around Stephon Gilmore, many fans said, “Don’t bother.” This was partially because he was still unsigned. If 31 other teams don’t want him, why should the Vikings? It likely didn’t help that Gilmore is also 34 years old.

The haters couldn’t have been more wrong. Gilmore has assumed the No. 1 cornerback job from the moment he put on pads, and the Vikings’ defense has never looked back. So far, through five games, Minnesota’s pass defense is one of the best in the NFL, allowing the sixth-fewest yards per attempt, and having the most interceptions.

Gilmore’s superpowers were on full display in the Vikings’ Week 5 win over the Jets, where the former DPOY winner leaped in front of an errant Aaron Rodgers pass to clinch yet another victory for the fellas in purple. Gilmore’s been a breath of fresh air for a secondary that had more questions than answers before the season kicked off.

Related: Minnesota Vikings Draft Picks 2025: Tracking Future Vikings Draft Picks, Vikings Draft History

Loser: Byron Murphy Jr.

No cornerback has been targeted more than Byron Murphy Jr through five weeks. Quarterbacks have thrown his way 48 times. He’s allowed a catch on 35 of those opportunities. Thus, no other player has allowed more yards in coverage than Murphy, who’s allowed 405 yards, and two touchdowns.

Murphy has recorded an interception, but he’s also missed more tackles than any other cornerback (tied with former Viking Mike Hughes at 9). This has led to pass-catchers picking up an additional 144 yards after catch.

Among corners who have played at least 50% of their team’s snaps, Murphy grades 50th overall, which suggests he’s been no better than average. Yet, with the 26-year-old in a contract year, it’s possible the Vikings try replacing him during the offseason. Then again, he’s still young, so maybe learning from Pro Bowl corners like Gilmore and Shaq Griffin can help Murphy learn a thing or two too.

Related: Top 10 Minnesota Vikings QB Draft Picks of All-Time

Winner: Cam Bynum

Another Vikings defender setting himself up to cash in during free agency is Camryn Bynum. He’s in the final year of his rookie deal, but is tied for the team lead with two interceptions. He’s also just nine tackles behind Blake Cashman for the team lead, showing his versatility in coverage and in run support.

Once Harrison Smith says his farewell, the Vikings will still be in good hands, knowing Bynum and Josh Metellus will maintain some level of consistency in Minnesota’s secondary. But for now, Bynum’s showing he’s not only one of the best defenders on the team, but possibly even good enough to earn the first Pro Bowl nod of his career. Plus, his celebration game is immaculate.

Cam Bynum: "We're on a generational celebration run right now. This might've been one of my favorites. It's one of my favorite movies. It's based on London. I watched that movie last week, and I'm, like, 'This is it.'" https://t.co/rnbCAmOK21

— Alec Lewis (@alec_lewis) October 6, 2024

Related: Do the Minnesota Vikings have the NFL’s best defense?

Loser: Akayleb Evans

Before the season kicked off, Akayleb Evans was being looked at as a potential starting cornerback. Yet, after adding Gilmore and Griffin, the 2022 fourth-round pick has completely fallen out of favor. Instead of playing valuable snaps on defense, the Vikings have stuffed Evans into a special teams role, where he gave everyone multiple scares against the Jets.

First, Evans collided with punt returner Brandon Powell, which could have led to a fumble and/or a change of possession. Of course, the replay showed Evans got pushed into Powell, so there wasn’t an issue, but unless he starts thriving in his new role, the 25-year-old’s long-term future in Minnesota could be in serious doubt.

Related: Top Minnesota Vikings Moments in Team History

Winner: Brian Flores

Is there really a bigger winner than Brian Flores? The second-year Vikings defensive coordinator somehow didn’t receive a single head coaching interview last season. His lawsuit against the NFL may have something to do with the non-interest.

Yet, at some point, if you’re a team making a new hire, how can you not reconsider Flores to lead your organization? There have been nothing but positive reports about the coach since he arrived in Minnesota, and his defenses are causing fits for every quarterback it takes on.

The Vikings went from allowing 21.3 points per game in 2023 to just 15.2 in 2024, where they currently allow the fourth-fewest points in the league. Allowing the second-fewest yards per rush (3.6) has certainly played a key factor, but the Vikings aren’t just geared to stop the run, they also have recorded the second-most sacks in the NFL. Brian Flores, you are a hero.

Related: There’s a New Graphic Trying to Put the Minnesota Vikings in the Super Bowl…

Loser: Brandon Powell

When the Vikings are 5-0, it’s hard to find someone to pick on. But we couldn’t make a list full of winners, because there’s some darkness in this world too.

Brandon Powell gets a bad rap here, but it’s not because he’s been this horrible player or anything. He hasn’t gotten many opportunities since losing the third WR role to Jalen Nailor, but he has maintained his job as the team’s leading returner.

Yet, there just haven’t been many chances for him to thrive yet thus far. He’s only taken seven punt returns, where he’s gained 36 yards. That ranks second-worst in the NFL in yards per return, albeit in a very small sample size. At least he’s not muffing punts!

Related: Kevin O’Connell Takes Lead in NFL Coach of the Year Race

The seventh-round pick was the 232nd player selected in April’s draft, but now he’s among 10 players competing for a roster spot on the Vikings’ defensive line. Last year, only five defensive linemen made the Vikings’ initial 53-man roster. Can Rodriguez beat the odds?

Related: Minnesota Vikings Already ‘Love’ Their New Longshot NFL Prospect X

Vikings love Levi Drake Rodriguez’s potential

Seventh-round picks are never a sure thing. Just because the Vikings liked Levi Drake Rodriguez enough to draft him four months ago, he still has a lot of work to do to earn a roster spot. However, the early returns have been positive for the 6-foot-2, 300-pound prospect.

Several players struggled during the first week of Vikings training camp. Meanwhile, many others stood out for positive reasons. LDR was in the latter category.

“Evaluating rookie Levi Drake Rodriguez has been difficult, but multiple Vikings staffers have shared that they’re high on his potential development.”

The Athletic’s Alec Lewis

Levi Drake Rodriguez just cooked someone in 1-on-1 and chest bumped DL coach Marcus Dixon, electric stuff out here

— Alec Lewis (@alec_lewis) July 31, 2024

Rodriguez has had a long journey to the NFL

Levi Drake Rodriguez is a raw prospect. After all, he was a zero-star recruit who didn’t receive a single major offer to play college football. But that never sapped his determination.

So when Rodriguez didn’t get any offers, he signed as a two-star athlete (baseball and football) with Southwestern Assemblies of God University, an NAIA program. This level of competition doesn’t even reach the status of a D-II school.

After being named as a two-time first-team All-SAC defender, Rodriguez emailed the Texas A&M-Commerce Lions’ defensive line coach, just hoping he could garner some attention. It worked. Rodriguez was invited to a football camp, where the coach instantly recognized a “man amongst boys with violence and intensity.”

Levi Drake Rodriguez was PFF’s 2nd highest graded DT for pass rush last year (of 194 starting DTs in FBS and FCS combined), just behind Byron Murphy II

He also had the 2nd best pass rush win percentage for DTs, again behind only Byron Murphy II https://t.co/8iuW9LyXPe

— Krauser (@Krauserrific) April 27, 2024

Rodriguez flourished after the transfer, earning first-team All-American honors from Pro Football Focus in his second season on campus. He ended his career with the Lions, having started all 21 games, where he recorded 88 tackles, 13.5 TFL, and 7.5 sacks.

Already the first player ever drafted from his high school (East View High School in Georgetown, Texas), Rodriguez is also the first player drafted from Texas A&M-Commerce since 2000. If those aren’t long odds, we don’t know what is. But there’s a big difference between being on a 90-man roster and cracking the final 53. So far, so good, but the journey is just beginning.

For those curious, Rodriguez wears No. 50, and our first chance to see him in live action comes on Saturday, August 10, against the Las Vegas Raiders for the Vikings’ preseason opener. The rookie is a good bet to see several snaps, allowing the coaching staff a proper environment to evaluate what he’s capable of against other NFL hopefuls.

Related: Vikings Plan to Go ‘All-In’ on Top DL in 2025; 3 Potential Solutions

Now it’s up to coach Kevin O’Connell to get the most out of the pieces he’s been given. So, which Vikings training camp battles can fans look forward to?

Related: Top 10 Minnesota Vikings QB Draft Picks of All-Time

Minnesota Vikings fans get first QB competition since 2014

It’s crazy to think back, but the Vikings haven’t headed into the season with a quarterback battle since 2014, when it was either Teddy Bridgewater, Matt Cassel, or Christian Ponder. It’s a similar scenario this year, only J.J. McCarthy, selected tenth, was drafted far ahead of Bridgewater, who was the final player picked in the first round.

Vikings coaches have done their best to lower expectations of the 21-year-old while hyping up former No. 2 overall pick Sam Darnold. But teams don’t take players in the top ten and then sit them on the bench all year long.

Darnold may very well be in for a career year, but if McCarthy looks ahead of the curve, the coaching staff may not have a choice but to start him. Once the locker room becomes convinced he’s ‘the guy,’ there’s no looking back.

Related: Top 10 Minnesota Vikings 1st Round Draft Picks of All-Time

Who will snag the Vikings’ WR3 role?

After letting K.J. Osborn leave in free agency, the Vikings suddenly have a gaping hole at the third receiver position. The in-house leader to snag the WR3 role is Brandon Powell, who’s seemingly Coach O’Connell’s teacher’s pet. But there are several worthy competitors too.

Vikings coaches have also propped up Jalen “Speedy” Nailor for a couple of seasons now. Injuries have held him back, but if Nailor can stay on the field, he may prove to be the best pure receiver of the bunch. There’s always the chance that Trent Sherfield Sr, Lucky Jackson, or possibly even an outside addition becomes the third receiver behind Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison too.

Related: Vikings’ Star Tight End Has Some Big Praise for Rookie QB

MN Vikings training camp battles in trenches could be pivotal

The Vikings’ interior offensive line has been a weak point for several seasons now. Garrett Bradbury finding his way in 2022 was a much-needed development, and the same goes for Ed Ingram last season. But there are still question marks at left guard, despite Dalton Risner providing a steady hand in 2023.

Now the Vikings are starting from scratch, opening up the competition at guard between Risner, Ingram (who probably isn’t at risk of losing his job), and Blake Brandel. The Vikings didn’t give Brandel near-starter money just so he could stick around as a trusted backup; he’s definitely in the mix to start. Yet, competition breeds excellence, so maybe lighting a fire along the interior is just what this team needs.

Related: Blake Cashman is Gushing Over New Vikings Teammate, JJ McCarthy

Defensive line rotation is up for grabs in Minnesota

Arguably the Vikings’ biggest weakness heading into the season, the Vikings NEED to identify a difference-maker along the defensive line. Harrison Phillips is an above-average player, but he’ll never be elite, and he needs some help.

Unlike other areas of the team (defensive backs), the Vikings’ new regime hasn’t invested much draft capital into the defensive trenches. Edge rusher, sure, but not on the interior. However, the Vikings have a collection of ‘bodies’ who could snag a starting role. Along with Phillips, Jonathan Bullard, and Jerry Tillery are the expected starters, but don’t sleep on 2023 fifth-round pick Jaquelin Roy or James Lynch from earning a role either.

We also can’t forget about the fire inside Levi Drake Rodriguez’s heart. The rest of the NFL passed on LDR several times over before the Vikings ended his freefall as the 232nd overall pick. But coaches love his motor, giving him just as strong of a chance as any other competitor in this dogfight.

Related: Two of the Best Safeties in Football Should be Minnesota Vikings

Vikings cornerback battle will be fierce

Byron Murphy Jr replaced Patrick Peterson as the Vikings’ top cornerback with ease last season. After that? The jobs are up for grabs. Shaq Griffin, as a former Pro Bowl cornerback, is a good bet to hold down a starting role.

But Mekhi Blackmon and Akayleb Evans won’t make it easy. They combined for 18 starts last season (15 for Evans, 3 for Blackmon). There’s always the possibility Andrew Booth Jr shows up healthy and ready to live up to his potential as a former second-round pick, too; he’s only 23.

That’s not even accounting for 2023 undrafted rookies Jaylin Williams, NaJee Thompson, or the safety/cornerback hybrid Jay Ward. There’s a lot of competition here. Aside from the perceived QB battle, watching the corners slug it out might be the next best show in town.

Related: Kevin O’Connell Cannot Comprehend Why Other Teams Don’t Want Brian Flores

Kicking competition: Will Reichard or John Parker Romo?

Kickers are people too. The Vikings let Greg Joseph test free agency, which led to him joining a three-headed Green Bay Packers competition. Good luck.

Meanwhile, the Vikings have turned their attention to All-XFL kicker John Parker Romo, who’s spent time with the Saints, Lions, and Bears. But he’s never kicked in an NFL game. Although, some kickers just take longer to find their way, and it’s possible the 26-year-old is ready for primetime.

But then there’s Will Reichard, who the Vikings couldn’t wait to make the first kicker drafted back in April. The sixth-round pick out of Alabama has a big boot, which should play well in U.S. Bank Stadium, and coaches are already impressed. Since the Vikings used a draft pick on Reichard, it’s hard to imagine him losing his roster spot, but it all depends on the competition.

Related: ESPN: Vikings Should Have NFL’s Best Weapons

There are 91 players on the MN Vikings’ current roster. Most of those guys have no chance to crack the final 53 spots, and aren’t even worth discussing, let alone writing or reading about. But there’s one 2024 rookie seventh-rounder in Minnesota that might be different.

Levi Drake Rodriguez stealing Minnesota Vikings coaches’ hearts

General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah selected seven players in the 2024 NFL Draft. The final pick came at 232nd overall, defensive lineman Levi Drake Rodriguez, out of Texas A&M-Commerce. He was also “Prospect X” for The Athletic in this year’s draft.

According to Alec Lewis (also of The Athletic), Minnesota Vikings coaches are already impressed by what they’ve seen from the 6-foot-4, 300-pound defensive lineman. He needs to get better against the run, but there are a lot of people, both inside TCO Performance Center and beyond, who really like this kid. Hell, if Vikings safety legend Paul Krause is all in… then we probably should be too, right?

The team loves him already. Improving against the run has been and will continue to be the focus, but you cannot teach his motor.

The Athletic’s Alec Lewis on Levi Drake Rodriguez

Vikings 7th round DT Levi Drake Rodriguez dominated the Tropical Bowl, facing FBS competition — was named the game MVP.

By my count, he had 3 sacks plus several pressures, 1 TFL and 2 run stops.

Highlights: LDR is #93 in black, gold helmet, long hair and white long sleeves pic.twitter.com/GbCrDjyipt

— Krauser (@Krauserrific) May 2, 2024

Related: Jordan Addison Showing Superstar Potential Ahead of Second NFL Season

The last two #NFLDraft cycles, I’ve been impressed w/defenders from Texas A&M Commerce.

DT Levi Drake Rodriguez stood out at both @FCSBOWL & @TropicalBowlUSA and is a name to keep an eye on.

Check out his scouting report here: https://t.co/U3PpKCkjah pic.twitter.com/W2qs1n99kK

— Emory Hunt (@FBallGameplan) April 3, 2024

The 23-year-old is just getting his start in the NFL, but his journey to the pros has been a long one. He initially started his college career without any offers as a zero-star prospect with the Southwest Assemblies of God, or SAGU Lions, in the NAIA. That’s not even up to the FCS level of play, let alone the FBS, where the Gophers play.

But Rodriguez dominated in three years before lucking into a connection with Texas A&M-Commerce after an email he sent reached the team’s defensive line coach. Rodriguez put forth two more excellent seasons in the FCS with his new team and somehow landed on the Vikings’ radar, but recording 22 sacks and 43 TFLs in 50 games likely didn’t hurt.

Yet, several seventh-round picks come and go every year in the NFL. What makes Rodriguez any different?

For one, he has a motor that never stops and a work ethic that makes all his teammates wonder if they’re doing enough to earn their spots. That type of competition is infectious, and it’s exactly what a young prospect scratching and clawing for a roster spot needs. Here is what he said about his daily routine and work ethic.

“Every morning, no matter what time I went to sleep, I would wake up at 3:30 AM, read my bible and write, hydrate and eat, get to the field and do early work. I can confidently say nobody did what I did on a consistent basis when it came to my pre practice routine.”

Minnesota Vikings draft pick Levi Drake Rodriguez on his daily routine in college

Heading into another season with a group of largely unproven defensive linemen aside from Harrison Phillips, players like Levi Drake Rodriguez give Vikings fans hope for a brighter future ahead.