Vikings GM Explains that There was a Chance to Trade Up, but Declined Due to Specific Objective
K. Joudry
|
By the time it was all said and done, the Vikings only made a pair of trades during the 2024 NFL Draft.
First, Minnesota made the minor leap up to No. 10 to ensure they landed J.J. McCarthy. Next up was the far bolder decision to forfeit several draft picks to land Dallas Turner at No. 17. If we wanted to kick things out a bit further, then we could argue that the Vikings GM pulled off a trio of draft trades given the earlier move with the Texans.
Within those swaps was a deal that didn’t happen. On Day 3, the Vikings had the chance to package some picks in a move up the board, but they decided against doing so because of their desire to pick both of Michael Jurgens and Levi Drake Rodriguez.
“We had a chance to maybe trade up and lose a pick,” Adofo-Mensah explains, “and we were thinking, ‘Well, we want to get both of our targets.’ And we ended up getting both of them, and the person was like, ‘Well, we can’t lose out on Levi Drake’ […] We think he’s a talented player, growth mindset player, I can’t wait to get him in this building.”
Vikings GM Explains Avoiding Trade, Picking Promising DT
Ryan Grigson, Minnesota’s Senior Vice President of Player Personnel, wasn’t shy about sharing praise for the young defensive tackle.
Grigson describes Levi Drake Rodriguez as a “self-made” player who played “lights out” at his level. He has a “want-to factor of just trying to be great.” The Vikings were so enthused about bringing him aboard that the team’s main decision makers “were sweating it a little bit” while waiting for their chance to draft him.
Grigson notes that the film reveals someone who “was a fun watch.” The defender “doesn’t take anything for granted” at least partly because his background involves needing to “duct tape his shoes, his cleats, when he was a kid to play football.”
A major part of the appeal is that the rookie DT has “multiple pass-rush moves” and he “plays like a crazy man.” For defensive tackles, playing like a crazy man is a wonderful compliment.
Notably, Grigson’s enthusiasm about the new defensive tackle wasn’t constrained to just a press conference. Adofo-Mensah noted that Grigson prompted him to “stop whatever [he was] doing” so that they could watch Rodriguez film prior to the draft.
The onus will now shift over to defensive coordinator Brian Flores, defensive line coach Marcus Dixon, and, most importantly, the man himself.
The Vikings have only a single locked-in starter for their defensive line: Harrison Phillips. Horrible Harry is a great run defender who has a bit — not a ton — of pass rush sizzle. What’s needed in Minnesota is for someone to emerge as a penetrator on passing downs.
Jerry Tillery could become that player as someone with a great build and as a former 1st-round selection. Jaquelin Roy is entering his sophomore season after showing off promise in 2023, so it’s possible he can create some havoc, as well.
Levi Drake Rodriguez, a 7th-round selection who was chosen 232nd overall, is by no means a favorite to get onto the field on Sundays. There’s upside in him and his story is inspiring, but there’s a long way to go for him to start getting playing time.
Just know that Minnesota’s most important decision makers are enthusiastic about Rodriguez. In their minds, the new DT is someone who can outperform his draft slot by developing into a rock-solid player for Flores’ defensive line.
K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on Twitter and as a co-host for Notes from the North, a humble Vikings podcast.