Pair of Vikings Large Lads Announce that it’s Time to Watch Out
Leading the charge at defensive tackle are Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen, two well-paid veterans who have accomplished much in their NFL careers.
Behind those two are a pair of Vikings large lads who had impressive moments in Week 3: Levi Drake Rodriguez and Jalen Redmond. Many know these names since each has received some hype and optimism for a bit more than a year. Seeing them actually get onto the field, though, and leave their mark hits different, especially in a dominant effort where the Vikings won 48-10.
Pair of Vikings Large Lads Shine in Week 3
To be sure, Mr. Redmond has already done some really good work.
The former undrafted player got brought to Minnesota after thriving in the UFL. His debut season with the Vikings meant forcing his way into the starting lineup, overcoming veteran Jerry Tillery along the way. Redmond’s 2024 finished with 18 tackles, 1 sack, 6 tackles for loss, and 2 passes defended in limited work.
The good times have continued for Jalen Redmond in 2025.
Already sitting on a trio of starts, Redmond has 10 tackles, 1 sack, 2 tackles for loss, and 1 forced fumble. Most recently, Redmond was part of the waves of defensive lineman who made life difficult for former Viking Jake Browning. The final stats show a pair of tackles alongside a forced fumble in what was a noticeable day for the defensive lineman.
And then there’s Levi Drake Rodriguez, the sophomore defensive tackle with tremendous hair.
He was making plays behind the line of scrimmage, putting the Bengals in a bad position as a result. The four tackles for Rodriguez included a pair of tackles for loss. Quick and active at 6’2″ and 290 pounds, Rodriguez offers a penetrating style of play that can give the opposition headaches.
Consider just the broader outlook for how Cincinnati performed.
While running the ball, the Bengals turned 21 carries into 53 yards, working out to a horrendous average of 2.5 yards per carry. Top runner Chase Brown saw his 10 carries amount to a wildly-low 3 yards, good for a 0.3 yards-per-carry average. Seeing the numbers so modest speaks to several plays behind the line of scrimmage. Rather than seeing positive yardage added onto the odometer, the Bengals lost ground, worsening the average each time that occurred.
Boiling the team’s collective success down to just Jalen Redmond and Levi Drake Rodriguez would obviously be foolish. Rather, the point is merely to suggest that the young DTs were worked into the mix in what was a suffocating, dominant day for the defense. Inserting the pair means helping, not hindering, the defense.
Rodriguez finished off his day with 38 snaps, working out to 68% of the defense’s total. Redmond found himself coming in at 34 snaps, good for 61% of the plays. Hearty workloads for the Vikings large lads who are still trying to establish themselves in the NFL.
Performances like the one on Sunday will tell the coaching staff the it’s wise to keep giving them more chances. So, too, does a distinct message get sent to the rest of the NFL: watch out.
The Vikings now sit at 2-1 on the season. The next pair of games will take place overseas. First up is Pittsburgh before seeing Cleveland come up.
Continued promise from Mr. Rodriguez and Mr. Redmond would mean that the Vikings have a much better shot at returning from the European trip with a pair of wins in their back pocket.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference helped with this piece.
