Nov 23, 2025; Inexperienced Bay, Wisconsin, USA; A view of the road of scrimmage throughout the first half of a sport between Inexperienced Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings at Lambeau Subject. Necessary Credit score: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Photos
Again in March, the Vikings’ trenches misplaced a pair of well-paid veterans. Minnesota stated goodbye to each of Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen since neither lived as much as their offers. On the time, the d-line boasted no certain substitute aside from Jalen Redmond, who had already been established as a starter.
Since that point, the Vikings have made a number of strikes to bolster the trenches. Choosing Caleb Banks within the 1st Spherical means pushing the chips into the center of the desk within the hope of hitting the jackpot. Choosing Domonique Orange within the Third Spherical means going for a extra modest payoff since he appears like an early-down run stuffer. Different pickups — Eric Johnson, Smith Vilbert, Isaiahh Loudermilk, Monkell Goodwine, and so forth — have concerned lesser-known skills. The place does that depart Levi Drake Rodriguez?
The Vikings’ TrenchesWatch for Levi Drake Rodriguez as a Starter in 2026
Only a few provide the hassle that Rodriguez affords. He’s harking back to a Third-line power ahead, a gritty participant who isn’t the flashiest however who helps his workforce regardless.
Contemplate what Lance Zierlein needed to say in his scouting report main into the 2024 NFL Draft: “Rodriguez plays with a big heart and a steady motor, but he lacks NFL size and skill inside. He gives good effort on each snap but spends too much time staying attached to blockers instead of finding quick routes around them. He has decent length for his size, but he doesn’t do enough damage with his hands and lacks the short-area foot quickness teams will look for from a smaller player. Rodriguez has been a productive player, but the step up in competition feels like it could be too big for him.”
Nov 23, 2025; Inexperienced Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Minnesota Vikings offensive sort out Brian O’Neill (75) and teammates Levi Drake Rodriguez (50) and Blake Cashman (51) await to take the sector previous to a sport in opposition to the Inexperienced Bay Packers at Lambeau Subject. Necessary Credit score: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Photos
Watching Rodriguez on the Vikings’ minicamp introduced out a number of the positives that Zierlein recognized.
Within the third-year defender, the Vikings boast any person with a promising motor. He strikes with violent urgency, the kind of effort that may’t be taught. Quite, there’s an depth inside Rodriguez that manifests itself within the physicality of his swim/rip strikes, the best way he fires out of his three-point stance, and in his want to swat the ball out of the passer’s palms (if solely the June follow model, reminiscent of a coach or bag with a ball).
In sixteen video games final 12 months (two begins), Levi Drake Rodriguez had 43 tackles. The stat sheet additionally exhibits 2 sacks, 5 quarterback hits, and eight tackles for loss. Keep in mind that his workload was fairly beefy, coming in at 461 defensive snaps and 85 snaps on particular groups.
As a rookie, Rodriguez picked up a 75.0 PFF grade. The issue with that evaluation is that it factored in a really small workload: 6 snaps on protection. In 2025, Rodriguez received hit with a 57.8 grade, suggesting he supplied under common soccer.
Jan 4, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores appears on in opposition to the Inexperienced Bay Packers throughout the fourth quarter at U.S. Financial institution Stadium. Necessary Credit score: Matt Blewett-Imagn Photos.
Already, Rodriguez is a hit story.
Kwesi Adofo-Mensah will get a ton of criticism for his draft failures however the DT isn’t amongst them. Getting chosen at No. 232 (the seventh) means dealing with lengthy odds simply to make the workforce, a lot much less play a significant function. The straightforward incontrovertible fact that he’s taking part in early in his profession and doing fairly effectively is proof that the choose was greater than price it.
Greatest guess is that Rodriguez will work alongside Redmond and Orange in Week 1. Doing so will imply having a real anchor in the midst of the DL — Large Citrus — to stifle the run whereas Rodriguez and Redmond get tasked with creating penetration.
Banks, in principle, might be on the market, but it surely’s laborious to really feel too assured on condition that he’s nonetheless not stepping into follow. Banks has the potential to remodel the Vikings’ trenches. He can’t accomplish that, although, until he’s wholesome sufficient to play. The opposite problem: he’s lacking a number of growth time. Oh, and Minnesota tends to take issues very gradual with accidents. Fairly probably, a gap is there for any person else.
Dec 21, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Minnesota Vikings defensive lineman Jalen Redmond (61) reacts with linebacker Eric Wilson (55) throughout the first half at MetLife Stadium. Necessary Credit score: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Photos
Levi Drake Rodriguez is 25. He stands at 6’2″ and weighs roughly 310 kilos. Search for him to be on the market for the opening snap of the Week 1 Packers sport.
Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. E-mail: okay.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.
