Levi Drake Rodriguez

Career StatsD+

Year	Team	GP	Sacks	Tkl	TFL
Career		18	2.0	44	11
2025		16	2.0	43	10
2024		2	0.0	1	1

Current Contract

Contract Value Index (CVI)

The Vikings absolutely stole Levi Drake Rodriguez at $1M AAV, earning an A CVI that represents one of the better value signings in recent memory for a rotational defensive tackle. Landing a proven rotational player at essentially minimum salary creates tremendous roster flexibility while adding legitimate depth to Minnesota's defensive front. At this price point, Rodriguez doesn't need to be anything more than a solid contributor in sub-packages and spot duty to justify his contract, but his track record suggests he can exceed those modest expectations. The minimal guaranteed money ($0.1M) gives the Vikings an easy out if things don't work, but the four-year term provides stability if Rodriguez develops into a more prominent role. This is exactly the type of low-risk, high-upside move that championship rosters are built on — securing quality depth at bargain prices while allocating resources to premium positions.

Performance Analysis

Levi Drake Rodriguez is a second-year defensive tackle carving out a rotational role for the Minnesota Vikings at just 25 years old. His overall profile earns a D+ grade, though his trajectory from D+ in 2024 to C in 2025 signals meaningful development. For a player still learning the nuances of NFL interior play, that upward movement matters. Rodriguez's most impressive calling card is his tackles-for-loss rate — 0.63 per game, essentially matching the elite threshold of 0.65 and nearly doubling the NFL average of 0.35. His tackles-per-game mark of 2.69 also exceeds the league average of 2.30, confirming he's consistently in the right place. The glaring weakness is pass rush production — his 0.13 sacks per game sits well below the NFL average of 0.21 and far from the elite benchmark of 0.47, limiting his three-down utility. Rodriguez profiles as a run-stuffing specialist with legitimate disruptive instincts, but he must develop a credible pass rush to avoid being a situational piece. Watch for his sack rate and pressure numbers as the truest indicators of whether he's ascending toward a full-time starter role or settling as a complementary lineman. At 25, with two seasons and 18 games of experience, the runway for growth is real — but the window to make that leap is narrowing.

Current Sentiment

Levi Drake Rodriguez has emerged as one of the more compelling under-the-radar stories heading into the 2026 NFL season, with both media and fan sentiment riding a notable wave of positive momentum. His NFC Special Teams Player of the Week recognition for a critical field goal block gave him a concrete, award-backed moment that elevated his visibility well beyond typical rotational defensive tackle territory. Feature coverage framing him as a 'breakout player no one saw coming' and a 'draft sleeper popping' signals that the broader football media is actively investing in his narrative arc, which tends to compound fan affection organically. The human-interest angle — Rodriguez openly expressing gratitude for living out his NFL dream — has resonated strongly with Vikings fans and general football audiences alike, adding an emotional layer that pure statistical profiles rarely generate. While his production profile and contract still reflect a developmental role player rather than an established starter, the current media environment surrounding Rodriguez is as favorable as it could reasonably be for a player at his career stage, and expectations heading into 2026 are quietly but meaningfully elevated.