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For more information, visit my pure 6 00:00:20,120 --> 00:00:24,680 Speaker 1: lux dot com backslash Vikings for exclusive offers to Vikings fans. 7 00:00:25,000 --> 00:00:35,360 Speaker 1: That's www dot my pure lux dot com Backslash Vikings. 8 00:00:37,880 --> 00:00:41,400 Speaker 2: Welcome to episode two seventy one of the Minnesota Vikings Podcast. 9 00:00:41,520 --> 00:00:44,320 Speaker 2: I am your host, Gabe Henderson, and buckle up because 10 00:00:44,320 --> 00:00:46,440 Speaker 2: we've got a stack show for all of you today. 11 00:00:46,680 --> 00:00:49,639 Speaker 2: First up, we are diving deep into the gridiron with 12 00:00:49,720 --> 00:00:52,720 Speaker 2: none other than Kaylin Kaylor from the Athletics. She's here 13 00:00:52,800 --> 00:00:56,200 Speaker 2: to unpack her latest article shining a spotlight on rising 14 00:00:56,280 --> 00:00:59,880 Speaker 2: star lead by Drake Rodriguez. Wait, there is more. We 15 00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:02,640 Speaker 2: are gearing up for rookie minnieamp set to take place 16 00:01:02,680 --> 00:01:05,560 Speaker 2: at the TCO Performance Center this weekend, and on today's 17 00:01:05,600 --> 00:01:08,400 Speaker 2: show we will preview the future of the Purple and 18 00:01:08,440 --> 00:01:11,039 Speaker 2: Goal set to hit the field on Friday, that's just 19 00:01:11,080 --> 00:01:13,440 Speaker 2: to kickoff. Folks, stick around for it all and more 20 00:01:13,560 --> 00:01:16,320 Speaker 2: as we dive deep into it right here on today's podcast, 21 00:01:16,640 --> 00:01:20,600 Speaker 2: Let's check it out. Football is on the horizon as 22 00:01:20,600 --> 00:01:23,600 Speaker 2: we get our first glimpse of the fresh faces donning 23 00:01:23,640 --> 00:01:27,160 Speaker 2: purple and goal this upcoming weekend at Rookie Mini Camp. 24 00:01:27,200 --> 00:01:27,640 Speaker 3: Welcome to the. 25 00:01:27,640 --> 00:01:31,640 Speaker 2: Minnesota Vikings Podcast presented by PEPSI. This is episode number 26 00:01:31,640 --> 00:01:34,480 Speaker 2: two seventy one, and as always, I'm joined by the 27 00:01:34,560 --> 00:01:37,960 Speaker 2: talented crew, Tatum Everett, Jay Nelson, and our master of 28 00:01:38,040 --> 00:01:42,399 Speaker 2: Control producer Eric Davidson. Guys, we were just talking about 29 00:01:42,440 --> 00:01:46,480 Speaker 2: this before. I feel like we have been talking about 30 00:01:46,480 --> 00:01:51,800 Speaker 2: the NFL Draft for the past year. This is finally 31 00:01:52,040 --> 00:01:56,680 Speaker 2: some I guess the future is bright understanding that football 32 00:01:56,720 --> 00:01:59,360 Speaker 2: is back this upcoming weekend and we finally get to 33 00:01:59,360 --> 00:02:02,600 Speaker 2: see the guy evericky mini camp. But Tatum, you and 34 00:02:02,640 --> 00:02:05,080 Speaker 2: I have done a few of a few one on 35 00:02:05,080 --> 00:02:07,880 Speaker 2: ones talking to some of these guys and understanding their 36 00:02:07,920 --> 00:02:11,160 Speaker 2: stories and getting fans excited, and from from my perspective, 37 00:02:11,200 --> 00:02:15,280 Speaker 2: there's like this this nervous energy, but this exuding confidence 38 00:02:15,720 --> 00:02:19,280 Speaker 2: that all of these draft picks have exemplified when I've 39 00:02:19,280 --> 00:02:22,320 Speaker 2: interviewed them for you, what has been the vibe when 40 00:02:22,360 --> 00:02:24,960 Speaker 2: talking to some of your guys, the Levi drakerigez is 41 00:02:24,960 --> 00:02:25,440 Speaker 2: of the world. 42 00:02:25,720 --> 00:02:27,560 Speaker 1: I mean we're talking about him, who will talk a 43 00:02:27,600 --> 00:02:29,519 Speaker 1: lot more later in this episode. 44 00:02:29,800 --> 00:02:32,160 Speaker 4: He uh, I mean he is energy. 45 00:02:32,200 --> 00:02:36,240 Speaker 1: He is electricity, And so talking to the new guy 46 00:02:36,400 --> 00:02:39,360 Speaker 1: just brings like a different excitement. You know, You're you're like, okay, 47 00:02:39,440 --> 00:02:41,560 Speaker 1: so did the whole Free Agency. 48 00:02:41,200 --> 00:02:42,960 Speaker 4: Got a little excited? I mean the draft class. 49 00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:45,040 Speaker 1: Okay, now we're excited. Oh now we're in mini caamp 50 00:02:45,080 --> 00:02:47,240 Speaker 1: and and it's almost just like a ramp up of 51 00:02:47,720 --> 00:02:51,640 Speaker 1: what's to come. And I don't know, it's almost like 52 00:02:51,760 --> 00:02:53,760 Speaker 1: first day of school vibes where you're like, Okay, I 53 00:02:53,800 --> 00:02:56,200 Speaker 1: don't really know who my classmates are yet, I don't 54 00:02:56,240 --> 00:02:57,760 Speaker 1: know what my teachers are going to be, but like 55 00:02:57,800 --> 00:02:59,760 Speaker 1: I'm excited to get going and see how this year 56 00:02:59,800 --> 00:03:03,680 Speaker 1: is going to play out. And so yeah, and part 57 00:03:03,680 --> 00:03:05,160 Speaker 1: of me is like, thank God, we don't have to 58 00:03:05,160 --> 00:03:07,560 Speaker 1: talk about that anymore. Let's talk about something different. But 59 00:03:07,600 --> 00:03:10,160 Speaker 1: I'm sure once we get into camp and roster predictions 60 00:03:10,160 --> 00:03:12,120 Speaker 1: and things like that, I'll un stop talking about that 61 00:03:12,200 --> 00:03:14,080 Speaker 1: as well, Like. 62 00:03:14,120 --> 00:03:15,079 Speaker 3: Is it week one already? 63 00:03:15,160 --> 00:03:15,320 Speaker 5: Yeah? 64 00:03:15,360 --> 00:03:17,480 Speaker 2: Right, I can't wait till that conversation stuff, which just 65 00:03:17,480 --> 00:03:18,040 Speaker 2: started today. 66 00:03:18,120 --> 00:03:19,040 Speaker 3: Yeah, well that's okay. 67 00:03:19,560 --> 00:03:21,160 Speaker 6: The best thing about it, though, is that that is 68 00:03:21,200 --> 00:03:25,079 Speaker 6: the promise of hope for the off season is what 69 00:03:25,360 --> 00:03:27,639 Speaker 6: all thirty two teams sell every year. As soon as 70 00:03:27,639 --> 00:03:29,680 Speaker 6: the Super Bowl is over, it's yeah, you know what's 71 00:03:29,720 --> 00:03:31,679 Speaker 6: going to happen. And that's part of the excitement of 72 00:03:31,720 --> 00:03:34,160 Speaker 6: free agency, and then with the draft and then let 73 00:03:34,200 --> 00:03:37,240 Speaker 6: alone undrafted free agents. You know, there's a whole crew 74 00:03:37,280 --> 00:03:39,560 Speaker 6: of people that are coming in with fresh faces saying 75 00:03:39,600 --> 00:03:42,200 Speaker 6: I can help your team win, and the fans are 76 00:03:42,240 --> 00:03:45,040 Speaker 6: constantly eating it up saying, I know what happened last year, 77 00:03:45,080 --> 00:03:47,000 Speaker 6: but that's last year. Let's see what we got this year. 78 00:03:47,400 --> 00:03:49,840 Speaker 6: And it's the promise of can they come in and 79 00:03:49,880 --> 00:03:52,080 Speaker 6: help us get to that next level. So for me, 80 00:03:52,160 --> 00:03:55,080 Speaker 6: I think the fun part about it is the excitement 81 00:03:55,120 --> 00:03:58,760 Speaker 6: part is is kind of done, but there's still excitement 82 00:03:58,800 --> 00:04:00,800 Speaker 6: for when they actually get on the felt, put the 83 00:04:00,800 --> 00:04:03,520 Speaker 6: cleats on and start to show you something. Usually this 84 00:04:03,560 --> 00:04:06,800 Speaker 6: weekend you'll you'll hear some rumblings of hey, you know, 85 00:04:06,920 --> 00:04:09,200 Speaker 6: so and so is kind of popping off and practice 86 00:04:09,240 --> 00:04:11,360 Speaker 6: and it's something it's a little exciting for not only 87 00:04:11,400 --> 00:04:14,680 Speaker 6: the staff who's watching it, but the coaches too, exactly. 88 00:04:14,760 --> 00:04:16,240 Speaker 6: So that's the thing is, like, you know, I think 89 00:04:16,240 --> 00:04:18,479 Speaker 6: that the best part about all of this is, Yeah, 90 00:04:18,520 --> 00:04:19,240 Speaker 6: we get tired of. 91 00:04:19,160 --> 00:04:20,520 Speaker 3: Talking about the same thing over and over again. 92 00:04:20,560 --> 00:04:22,000 Speaker 6: But now that you've got some answers, this is where 93 00:04:22,040 --> 00:04:24,240 Speaker 6: there's another different level of excitement. 94 00:04:23,960 --> 00:04:26,880 Speaker 2: Question for you. Yeah, you've been around this Vikings team. 95 00:04:26,920 --> 00:04:28,840 Speaker 2: I mean you grew up a Vikings fan. You've been 96 00:04:28,880 --> 00:04:32,760 Speaker 2: working for this organization for almost two decades now right 97 00:04:32,839 --> 00:04:36,440 Speaker 2: very close. This is a very unique draft class from 98 00:04:36,480 --> 00:04:40,279 Speaker 2: your time being with the Vikings. How does this draft pass? 99 00:04:40,600 --> 00:04:43,640 Speaker 2: This draft class? How does the energy compare to previous ones? 100 00:04:43,760 --> 00:04:46,880 Speaker 6: I think the thing that is very different on this 101 00:04:46,920 --> 00:04:49,520 Speaker 6: one is that there was kind of an organizational shift 102 00:04:49,880 --> 00:04:52,200 Speaker 6: over the last couple of years, and then this is 103 00:04:52,240 --> 00:04:55,840 Speaker 6: the first time that this new front office group is 104 00:04:55,920 --> 00:04:57,880 Speaker 6: kind of getting to choose their quarterback. And then you 105 00:04:57,960 --> 00:05:00,600 Speaker 6: also went out and got a you know, blue chip 106 00:05:00,680 --> 00:05:03,120 Speaker 6: defensive prospect as well. If you go through and you 107 00:05:03,160 --> 00:05:05,680 Speaker 6: look at from basically when I was started here and 108 00:05:05,720 --> 00:05:08,000 Speaker 6: I started to No. Seven, I got hired in a 109 00:05:08,040 --> 00:05:09,640 Speaker 6: month later, we drafted Adrian Peterson. 110 00:05:09,720 --> 00:05:11,880 Speaker 3: So that was amazing for me, like, Holy Cole, we 111 00:05:11,960 --> 00:05:12,479 Speaker 3: got this kid. 112 00:05:12,520 --> 00:05:14,359 Speaker 6: But then I really I went back and I started 113 00:05:14,360 --> 00:05:16,960 Speaker 6: looking at, you know, some of the blue chip prospects 114 00:05:17,000 --> 00:05:20,240 Speaker 6: that were in there, Adrian Peterson, Percy, Harvin Harrison Smith, 115 00:05:20,720 --> 00:05:25,000 Speaker 6: Xavier Rhoads, Corderill Patterson, Anthony Barr, Teddy Bridgewater, justin Jefferson 116 00:05:25,839 --> 00:05:28,240 Speaker 6: where Jordan Addison, you know, popped off last year as 117 00:05:28,279 --> 00:05:30,480 Speaker 6: a rookie as well. And now you've got JJ McCarthy 118 00:05:30,520 --> 00:05:32,839 Speaker 6: and Dallas Turner. So like there are a bunch of 119 00:05:32,880 --> 00:05:36,200 Speaker 6: players that have been high prospects that have paid off, 120 00:05:36,600 --> 00:05:38,960 Speaker 6: and it's those moments like I was just talking about, 121 00:05:39,279 --> 00:05:43,080 Speaker 6: Adrian Peterson looked different in rookie, Minnie camp Percy, Harvin 122 00:05:43,520 --> 00:05:45,920 Speaker 6: Percy was one of them that I think Paul Allen 123 00:05:46,000 --> 00:05:47,440 Speaker 6: was the one that went on his radio show the 124 00:05:47,480 --> 00:05:49,760 Speaker 6: next morning and went, I don't know, we know who 125 00:05:49,760 --> 00:05:52,720 Speaker 6: this kid was from Florida, but he is killing everybody 126 00:05:52,760 --> 00:05:54,599 Speaker 6: and it's only the first day of practice. So like 127 00:05:55,120 --> 00:05:57,280 Speaker 6: it's one of those pieces where when you get some 128 00:05:57,320 --> 00:05:59,720 Speaker 6: of these players that are high prospects and you want 129 00:05:59,760 --> 00:06:02,480 Speaker 6: to something different, when you all of a sudden get 130 00:06:02,480 --> 00:06:04,840 Speaker 6: a glimpse of that paying off. That's where even more 131 00:06:04,880 --> 00:06:08,080 Speaker 6: excitement kicks in. So for me having two top prospects 132 00:06:08,120 --> 00:06:10,400 Speaker 6: here in the first round, I think there's gonna be 133 00:06:10,400 --> 00:06:11,760 Speaker 6: a lot of people putting a lot of eyes on 134 00:06:11,800 --> 00:06:12,960 Speaker 6: those guys just to see what they. 135 00:06:12,839 --> 00:06:14,039 Speaker 3: Look like this weekend. Yeah. 136 00:06:14,440 --> 00:06:16,839 Speaker 2: I mean I've said this plenty of times now, but 137 00:06:16,880 --> 00:06:20,479 Speaker 2: this just reminds me of twenty nineteen when I was 138 00:06:20,520 --> 00:06:22,680 Speaker 2: in Washington and Kevin O'Connell was the defense was the 139 00:06:22,720 --> 00:06:26,159 Speaker 2: offensive coordinator, and we drafted Dwayne Haskins and then Montes 140 00:06:26,320 --> 00:06:29,119 Speaker 2: what a quarterback and an edge rusher. And just seeing 141 00:06:29,160 --> 00:06:32,560 Speaker 2: the similarities between that draft and this draft and the 142 00:06:32,600 --> 00:06:38,279 Speaker 2: excitement surrounding it, I think the energy should be very warranted, right, 143 00:06:38,320 --> 00:06:40,800 Speaker 2: Like fans should understand that, like, hey, this is going 144 00:06:40,839 --> 00:06:42,839 Speaker 2: to be exciting, but this is going to be a 145 00:06:42,880 --> 00:06:46,120 Speaker 2: process moving forward. And I really do believe Kevin and 146 00:06:46,240 --> 00:06:49,040 Speaker 2: Quacy and this entire staff are going to trust their process, 147 00:06:49,360 --> 00:06:51,719 Speaker 2: and it starts this upcoming week when you finally get 148 00:06:51,800 --> 00:06:54,920 Speaker 2: your first chance to see these guys on the field tatable. 149 00:06:55,080 --> 00:06:56,920 Speaker 4: Yeah, it's going to be really fun. I'm just really 150 00:06:56,960 --> 00:06:57,640 Speaker 4: excited about it. 151 00:06:57,640 --> 00:06:57,760 Speaker 5: All. 152 00:06:57,800 --> 00:06:59,640 Speaker 1: I think you nailed on the head though, like they 153 00:06:59,680 --> 00:07:01,640 Speaker 1: believe in their process. And when I sat down with 154 00:07:01,680 --> 00:07:05,360 Speaker 1: Quacy last week, he said, we knew twenty twenty four 155 00:07:05,480 --> 00:07:07,880 Speaker 1: was going to be a pivotal year for us as 156 00:07:07,880 --> 00:07:11,440 Speaker 1: far as free agency and moving pieces with that and 157 00:07:11,480 --> 00:07:16,160 Speaker 1: the draft class, Like they forecasted this and they you know, 158 00:07:16,600 --> 00:07:19,240 Speaker 1: it's now time to see what all the hard work 159 00:07:19,240 --> 00:07:21,800 Speaker 1: they've done the last two years plays into this. 160 00:07:22,040 --> 00:07:25,560 Speaker 6: So what's your atopic storylines? Then when it comes to Tatum, 161 00:07:25,560 --> 00:07:28,040 Speaker 6: what's your atopic storyline? And then Gay, what's your atopic 162 00:07:28,080 --> 00:07:29,480 Speaker 6: storyline coming into this weekend. 163 00:07:31,160 --> 00:07:32,440 Speaker 1: I mean, I hate to say it, but I just 164 00:07:32,480 --> 00:07:36,280 Speaker 1: want to see JJ McCarthy kind of how he adapts 165 00:07:36,480 --> 00:07:40,600 Speaker 1: into Kevin O'Connell's system. How much attention are they spending 166 00:07:40,640 --> 00:07:46,120 Speaker 1: with time and attention are they spending with him, How 167 00:07:46,200 --> 00:07:49,200 Speaker 1: he's just gelling with that group. I mean, he will 168 00:07:49,240 --> 00:07:51,600 Speaker 1: not have a receiver who has been drafted. He'll be 169 00:07:51,600 --> 00:07:55,960 Speaker 1: working with undrafted free agents, So you know, no judgment there, 170 00:07:56,000 --> 00:07:58,880 Speaker 1: but it's not going to be like, oh, Jj, he's right. 171 00:07:58,760 --> 00:08:00,320 Speaker 4: There all the time whenever I need it, and blah 172 00:08:00,320 --> 00:08:00,840 Speaker 4: blah blah. 173 00:08:00,880 --> 00:08:04,840 Speaker 1: So I hate that I'm being a basic about that, 174 00:08:04,960 --> 00:08:08,080 Speaker 1: But I do think that that to me is just 175 00:08:08,200 --> 00:08:11,040 Speaker 1: like if you're putting that much stock into him and 176 00:08:11,520 --> 00:08:14,920 Speaker 1: putting potential future ramifications on someone like that, you want 177 00:08:14,920 --> 00:08:17,200 Speaker 1: to see him do well from the get sure. 178 00:08:17,400 --> 00:08:21,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think JJ is the most is going to 179 00:08:21,000 --> 00:08:24,760 Speaker 2: be the most watched person because the drills that he 180 00:08:25,320 --> 00:08:29,320 Speaker 2: participates in are going to be the most realistic. Right 181 00:08:29,400 --> 00:08:32,839 Speaker 2: because there's no pads on so offensive defensive lineman, you're 182 00:08:32,840 --> 00:08:34,840 Speaker 2: not really going to get to see like how explosive 183 00:08:34,880 --> 00:08:37,800 Speaker 2: they are. So what JJ does, like you kind of 184 00:08:37,800 --> 00:08:39,760 Speaker 2: get to see like how fast is he throwing the ball? 185 00:08:39,840 --> 00:08:42,280 Speaker 2: Like how quick is he doing certain things? How is 186 00:08:42,280 --> 00:08:44,400 Speaker 2: he processing? So I think that is a really good pick. 187 00:08:44,720 --> 00:08:47,800 Speaker 2: On my end, I'll probably go Kyrie Jackson because I 188 00:08:47,800 --> 00:08:49,560 Speaker 2: do believe there will be a few one on ones 189 00:08:49,600 --> 00:08:51,600 Speaker 2: and you know, if you're a drafted guy and you're 190 00:08:51,600 --> 00:08:55,400 Speaker 2: going against undrafted wide receivers, like I think the expectation 191 00:08:55,559 --> 00:08:57,280 Speaker 2: is for you to win some of those one on 192 00:08:57,280 --> 00:09:00,559 Speaker 2: one reps. So I'm excited to see just the the 193 00:09:00,760 --> 00:09:04,800 Speaker 2: Kyrie Jackson effect. Right, Like everyone talks about how he 194 00:09:04,920 --> 00:09:07,880 Speaker 2: is this big time defensive back that talks a lot, 195 00:09:07,960 --> 00:09:11,160 Speaker 2: that has this edge that understands the game of football. 196 00:09:11,200 --> 00:09:12,840 Speaker 2: I want to see that on full display this this 197 00:09:12,920 --> 00:09:14,480 Speaker 2: upcoming weekend, Jay, who's your guy? 198 00:09:14,600 --> 00:09:15,400 Speaker 3: Oh? 199 00:09:15,440 --> 00:09:17,760 Speaker 6: When it comes to at least names that I've heard 200 00:09:17,880 --> 00:09:21,560 Speaker 6: people rumbling saying, like somebody that they're really curious to 201 00:09:21,559 --> 00:09:23,920 Speaker 6: see what they do this weekend, the name that was 202 00:09:23,960 --> 00:09:26,360 Speaker 6: thrown at me was Bou Richter, the outside linebacker from 203 00:09:26,400 --> 00:09:29,600 Speaker 6: Air Force. Part of it being similar to an Ivan 204 00:09:29,640 --> 00:09:32,200 Speaker 6: paced type situation where kind of a you know, fire 205 00:09:32,240 --> 00:09:34,800 Speaker 6: plug type guy out there. I am curious to see 206 00:09:34,800 --> 00:09:37,560 Speaker 6: if any more of the rumblings kick in because the 207 00:09:37,600 --> 00:09:39,640 Speaker 6: kind of the feeling is, you know, this guy shows 208 00:09:39,679 --> 00:09:41,400 Speaker 6: out like he could be another one of those type 209 00:09:41,520 --> 00:09:43,200 Speaker 6: defensive players that could be a diamond in the rough. 210 00:09:43,320 --> 00:09:45,679 Speaker 3: So I'm curious to see what Bo does this weekend. 211 00:09:45,920 --> 00:09:48,360 Speaker 6: It'll be interesting to hear from my sources who are 212 00:09:48,400 --> 00:09:50,160 Speaker 6: interested in the first place, to see what they say. 213 00:09:50,200 --> 00:09:52,679 Speaker 2: Well, look, everybody's going to be watching, you know, Bo 214 00:09:52,840 --> 00:09:55,480 Speaker 2: Richter or the top three draft picks from this year's draft. 215 00:09:55,520 --> 00:09:59,320 Speaker 2: But I do believe we should not overlook Levi Drake 216 00:09:59,400 --> 00:10:03,520 Speaker 2: Rod Reegan. He is this year's prospect X. According to 217 00:10:03,559 --> 00:10:07,240 Speaker 2: The Athletic Kaylin Kaylor just wrote an article about why 218 00:10:07,440 --> 00:10:11,040 Speaker 2: she chose Levi Drake as her Prospect X, and with 219 00:10:11,080 --> 00:10:14,240 Speaker 2: that said, we actually have her as our special guest 220 00:10:14,280 --> 00:10:16,719 Speaker 2: on today's show. And Tatum, I know you talked to 221 00:10:16,760 --> 00:10:19,599 Speaker 2: Levi Drake earlier this week and fans are very excited 222 00:10:19,640 --> 00:10:22,760 Speaker 2: about you know, what he can be and why not 223 00:10:23,120 --> 00:10:25,920 Speaker 2: go to the actual source who had an opportunity to 224 00:10:25,960 --> 00:10:28,400 Speaker 2: spend some time with both him and his family throughout 225 00:10:28,400 --> 00:10:32,160 Speaker 2: this entire pre draft process. Kayln Kaylor from the Athletic 226 00:10:33,840 --> 00:10:36,840 Speaker 2: joining us now is our special guest. Who is Kaylan 227 00:10:36,920 --> 00:10:40,719 Speaker 2: Kaylor from the Athletic who recently wrote an amazing pre 228 00:10:40,800 --> 00:10:44,360 Speaker 2: draft article on Levi Drake Rodriguez. In that article, which 229 00:10:44,400 --> 00:10:47,720 Speaker 2: is on the Athletic dot com right now, she tapped 230 00:10:47,800 --> 00:10:52,040 Speaker 2: Levi as her prospect X, the most overlooked player in 231 00:10:52,080 --> 00:10:54,920 Speaker 2: this year's entire draft. And Kaylin, we are so happy 232 00:10:54,960 --> 00:10:57,839 Speaker 2: to have you on with us today to talk about this. 233 00:10:57,920 --> 00:11:00,959 Speaker 2: But before we get started, could you walk us through 234 00:11:01,160 --> 00:11:04,080 Speaker 2: what Prospect X is and how we landed on Levi 235 00:11:04,160 --> 00:11:05,000 Speaker 2: Drake Rodriguez. 236 00:11:05,360 --> 00:11:08,199 Speaker 5: Yeah. So, every year, this is the sixth year that 237 00:11:08,200 --> 00:11:12,200 Speaker 5: I've done this, I look for what I call the 238 00:11:12,200 --> 00:11:15,240 Speaker 5: most overlooked player in the NFL draft, And it started 239 00:11:15,640 --> 00:11:18,040 Speaker 5: six years ago because when my metitor is astultiate, it 240 00:11:18,080 --> 00:11:21,520 Speaker 5: was like, do you think you could find someone who 241 00:11:21,720 --> 00:11:24,760 Speaker 5: didn't get a combine invite and like, didn't get a 242 00:11:24,800 --> 00:11:27,559 Speaker 5: major All Star Game invitation, but it has a really 243 00:11:27,640 --> 00:11:30,240 Speaker 5: good chance to get drafted. And then you know, the 244 00:11:30,400 --> 00:11:33,800 Speaker 5: concept was like keep the player anonymous in the first 245 00:11:33,920 --> 00:11:36,320 Speaker 5: edition of it, so there's a two part story. One 246 00:11:36,440 --> 00:11:40,040 Speaker 5: story comes out before the draft and we keep them. 247 00:11:40,240 --> 00:11:43,040 Speaker 5: We keep the player's identity anonymous so that we can 248 00:11:43,480 --> 00:11:46,840 Speaker 5: share as much as possible about their draft process and 249 00:11:46,880 --> 00:11:49,240 Speaker 5: really get into the nitty gritty. And then also a 250 00:11:49,240 --> 00:11:52,240 Speaker 5: lot of times when you ask scouts like hey, who 251 00:11:52,280 --> 00:11:55,040 Speaker 5: is the player who fits this description, nobody wants to 252 00:11:55,040 --> 00:11:57,040 Speaker 5: tell you who it is because they don't want other 253 00:11:57,120 --> 00:11:59,000 Speaker 5: teams to know who it is and they don't want 254 00:11:59,200 --> 00:12:01,960 Speaker 5: other people to get onto their trail. There's always an 255 00:12:02,000 --> 00:12:05,400 Speaker 5: element of secrecy. So we catched anonymous for that reason too, 256 00:12:05,480 --> 00:12:08,640 Speaker 5: so that teams that are interested in product acts don't 257 00:12:08,640 --> 00:12:11,720 Speaker 5: feel like everyone is going to immediately know who it is. 258 00:12:11,760 --> 00:12:16,199 Speaker 5: And anytime anytime a player gets more media attention, obviously, 259 00:12:16,280 --> 00:12:19,000 Speaker 5: scouts are not drafting based off of media attention. But 260 00:12:19,400 --> 00:12:23,080 Speaker 5: all of that does impact their profile in some way, 261 00:12:23,120 --> 00:12:25,960 Speaker 5: and it does kind of create this like groupthink thing 262 00:12:26,080 --> 00:12:28,320 Speaker 5: where teams are like, oh, this player is now getting 263 00:12:28,320 --> 00:12:29,760 Speaker 5: a lot of buzz, maybe we need to look at 264 00:12:29,840 --> 00:12:32,800 Speaker 5: him more. So it can cause other teams to scout 265 00:12:32,840 --> 00:12:35,280 Speaker 5: someone harder that maybe they weren't scouting now hard before. 266 00:12:35,679 --> 00:12:37,760 Speaker 5: So we keep the player anonymous before the draft, and 267 00:12:37,800 --> 00:12:39,360 Speaker 5: it's really fun for the readers because they get to 268 00:12:39,400 --> 00:12:42,280 Speaker 5: guess who it might be based off of the different 269 00:12:42,280 --> 00:12:44,480 Speaker 5: clues that we drop in there, and then after the 270 00:12:44,600 --> 00:12:48,000 Speaker 5: draft we reveal who the player is and what happened 271 00:12:48,000 --> 00:12:49,880 Speaker 5: to him in the draft process. So it's been a 272 00:12:49,920 --> 00:12:52,720 Speaker 5: really fun serious to do and people get really into 273 00:12:52,760 --> 00:12:55,000 Speaker 5: it and had a lot of time trying to figure 274 00:12:55,000 --> 00:12:55,959 Speaker 5: out who the player is. 275 00:12:56,120 --> 00:12:58,400 Speaker 1: When you choose it, I know you probably have players 276 00:12:58,400 --> 00:13:01,080 Speaker 1: that really you connect with, you really kind of start 277 00:13:01,160 --> 00:13:05,000 Speaker 1: rooting for their story. And admittedly, this is the one 278 00:13:05,000 --> 00:13:07,520 Speaker 1: I've really paid the most attention to, obviously because this 279 00:13:07,559 --> 00:13:10,760 Speaker 1: is a guy that we drafted. But how it was 280 00:13:10,800 --> 00:13:13,280 Speaker 1: so easy to fall in love with a guy like 281 00:13:13,400 --> 00:13:17,360 Speaker 1: Levi Drake? What was it like for you to hear 282 00:13:17,480 --> 00:13:19,880 Speaker 1: his story and kind of get to know who he is. 283 00:13:19,840 --> 00:13:20,280 Speaker 4: At the core. 284 00:13:20,720 --> 00:13:23,880 Speaker 5: Yeah, he is a one of a kind of individual. 285 00:13:23,880 --> 00:13:28,240 Speaker 5: He's really big personality, extremely energetic. I know that in 286 00:13:28,320 --> 00:13:31,280 Speaker 5: his press conference with Vikings reporters after he was drafted, 287 00:13:31,400 --> 00:13:35,880 Speaker 5: he was off the wall and really made an influence 288 00:13:36,240 --> 00:13:38,480 Speaker 5: on made an impact on all of the reporters who 289 00:13:38,520 --> 00:13:41,840 Speaker 5: were on that press conference call. He and I noticed 290 00:13:41,880 --> 00:13:43,760 Speaker 5: that right away about him, and you know, his agent 291 00:13:44,080 --> 00:13:46,400 Speaker 5: had told me before I had even talked to him, like, 292 00:13:46,440 --> 00:13:48,320 Speaker 5: oh my god, you're going to love him. He's such 293 00:13:48,320 --> 00:13:51,480 Speaker 5: an infectious personality. And it really is true. Like usually 294 00:13:51,520 --> 00:13:55,880 Speaker 5: with prospect X, they're very much a very specific type 295 00:13:55,920 --> 00:14:00,720 Speaker 5: of personality where they're like rules followers, very quiet, you know, 296 00:14:00,800 --> 00:14:02,280 Speaker 5: they don't have a lot to say, and I'm like 297 00:14:02,400 --> 00:14:06,440 Speaker 5: pulling answers out of them and like trying to uh. 298 00:14:06,520 --> 00:14:08,880 Speaker 5: It's it's been an effort with some of the past 299 00:14:08,880 --> 00:14:11,520 Speaker 5: prospect actors to get a personality out of them because 300 00:14:11,520 --> 00:14:14,720 Speaker 5: they're just so straightforward and like, I work hard and 301 00:14:14,760 --> 00:14:16,880 Speaker 5: that's it, you know, And like Levi is very much 302 00:14:16,880 --> 00:14:19,840 Speaker 5: a hard worker, and like you know, he tells stories 303 00:14:19,840 --> 00:14:22,760 Speaker 5: about how he would sleep at his college football facility 304 00:14:22,800 --> 00:14:25,800 Speaker 5: because he hated being the second person there, and that's 305 00:14:25,880 --> 00:14:29,680 Speaker 5: second to the custodians, not second to anyone else. So 306 00:14:29,760 --> 00:14:31,560 Speaker 5: he tells those stories, so you know he's got the 307 00:14:31,600 --> 00:14:34,440 Speaker 5: work ethic, and his coaches tell the same stories about him. 308 00:14:34,480 --> 00:14:37,720 Speaker 5: They all, you know, rave about his work ethic and 309 00:14:37,760 --> 00:14:40,200 Speaker 5: his drive, you know, because he came from an nai 310 00:14:40,200 --> 00:14:44,600 Speaker 5: A school and then transferred up to an SCS program 311 00:14:44,640 --> 00:14:46,880 Speaker 5: that had just become SCS, that had been a D 312 00:14:47,000 --> 00:14:50,640 Speaker 5: two program until he transferred there. That was our first 313 00:14:50,720 --> 00:14:54,000 Speaker 5: year in D one. So he really has his self 314 00:14:54,200 --> 00:14:58,560 Speaker 5: made completely. And Quzy said that in the in his 315 00:14:58,960 --> 00:15:02,080 Speaker 5: post draft press car conference that he was really impressed 316 00:15:02,200 --> 00:15:05,720 Speaker 5: at the range of pass rush skills that Levi had 317 00:15:05,760 --> 00:15:10,920 Speaker 5: developed coming from such a you know, small school football background. 318 00:15:11,040 --> 00:15:14,200 Speaker 5: So yeah, he really stood out in terms of his personality. 319 00:15:14,240 --> 00:15:15,640 Speaker 5: And you know, I think one of my favorite things 320 00:15:15,680 --> 00:15:18,600 Speaker 5: somebody said about him was Blaine Gramer, the area scout, 321 00:15:18,640 --> 00:15:21,640 Speaker 5: who I guess you could say like first discovered him 322 00:15:21,640 --> 00:15:25,360 Speaker 5: for the Vikings. Blaine said that when Levi was on 323 00:15:25,400 --> 00:15:28,520 Speaker 5: his visit, his party visit to the Viking facility this year, 324 00:15:28,760 --> 00:15:32,320 Speaker 5: he was doing pass rush moves in the hallway and 325 00:15:33,040 --> 00:15:36,840 Speaker 5: winging people over with that energy and He also the 326 00:15:36,880 --> 00:15:39,240 Speaker 5: area scout who was his host for the day, I 327 00:15:39,240 --> 00:15:44,160 Speaker 5: think Steve Sabo. He saw someone. Levi saw somebody come 328 00:15:44,160 --> 00:15:46,360 Speaker 5: into the building with their code and he asked the 329 00:15:47,000 --> 00:15:49,400 Speaker 5: Oh my gosh, if I end up here, do I 330 00:15:49,440 --> 00:15:52,920 Speaker 5: get a code? And he was like, yeah, that's how 331 00:15:52,960 --> 00:15:55,920 Speaker 5: you get in. And Levi I was like, oh my god, 332 00:15:55,960 --> 00:15:57,600 Speaker 5: that's so cool. Like he couldn't give over it and 333 00:15:57,640 --> 00:16:00,120 Speaker 5: he was like, I think I'm gonna sleep here. So 334 00:16:00,160 --> 00:16:02,520 Speaker 5: that's just like the energy that just shows you, like 335 00:16:02,560 --> 00:16:03,400 Speaker 5: the energy that he has. 336 00:16:03,600 --> 00:16:05,240 Speaker 6: Question when it comes to the process of this, I 337 00:16:05,280 --> 00:16:08,280 Speaker 6: mean you're talking about you're trying to identify these diamonds 338 00:16:08,280 --> 00:16:10,720 Speaker 6: in a rough coming from smaller schools or even you know, 339 00:16:10,800 --> 00:16:13,800 Speaker 6: previous NAI programs, and you've talked about you know, different 340 00:16:14,080 --> 00:16:17,000 Speaker 6: coaches and scouts and different people that way. What is 341 00:16:17,040 --> 00:16:19,280 Speaker 6: your process like to try to vet out these people 342 00:16:19,360 --> 00:16:21,680 Speaker 6: to see, you know, trying to get an inkling here 343 00:16:21,720 --> 00:16:22,840 Speaker 6: of are they going to get drafted? 344 00:16:22,840 --> 00:16:24,320 Speaker 3: Are they going to make it? Like what is going 345 00:16:24,400 --> 00:16:24,760 Speaker 3: to happen? 346 00:16:25,040 --> 00:16:26,760 Speaker 6: Can you talk a little bit about your process and 347 00:16:26,760 --> 00:16:29,120 Speaker 6: how you are able to really identify these guys. 348 00:16:29,280 --> 00:16:33,080 Speaker 5: Yeah, it's a very long process. It starts well, actually 349 00:16:33,080 --> 00:16:36,080 Speaker 5: it doesn't really start until Combine invitations go out, because 350 00:16:36,080 --> 00:16:39,000 Speaker 5: that's sort of my bar, like you can't be at 351 00:16:39,000 --> 00:16:42,600 Speaker 5: the Combine, and that's about three hundred and thirty players 352 00:16:42,680 --> 00:16:46,440 Speaker 5: I believe, every year, so that needs to happen first. 353 00:16:46,440 --> 00:16:48,160 Speaker 5: So then once the Combine invites go out, and I 354 00:16:48,200 --> 00:16:51,040 Speaker 5: can say, okay, who's not at the Combine? And by 355 00:16:51,040 --> 00:16:52,880 Speaker 5: that time all the all star games are over too, 356 00:16:52,960 --> 00:16:56,640 Speaker 5: so I also know, okay, this this player was invited 357 00:16:56,640 --> 00:17:00,560 Speaker 5: to an All star game. This player wasn't, And I'm 358 00:17:00,560 --> 00:17:03,720 Speaker 5: always looking for somebody who wasn't at any all star game, 359 00:17:03,800 --> 00:17:07,359 Speaker 5: but that's getting really hard to do. So, like LEVI 360 00:17:07,760 --> 00:17:11,119 Speaker 5: was at the SPS game, which is specifically an all 361 00:17:11,160 --> 00:17:14,199 Speaker 5: Star game for SPS players, so I was like, you 362 00:17:14,200 --> 00:17:16,960 Speaker 5: know what, I will count that because that is a 363 00:17:17,119 --> 00:17:20,359 Speaker 5: very small school all star game. And then his performance 364 00:17:20,400 --> 00:17:23,800 Speaker 5: in that game, he got called up to the Tropical Ball, 365 00:17:24,000 --> 00:17:27,800 Speaker 5: which is seen as the fourth tier all star games. 366 00:17:28,080 --> 00:17:30,160 Speaker 5: There's three that are sort of the big deal ones, 367 00:17:30,200 --> 00:17:32,560 Speaker 5: and then there's a couple that are a little bit 368 00:17:32,600 --> 00:17:36,520 Speaker 5: smaller and less not less credible, like scouts still go 369 00:17:36,600 --> 00:17:39,119 Speaker 5: to them, but they're just not as well attended as 370 00:17:39,119 --> 00:17:42,280 Speaker 5: the other ones and obviously don't have the track record 371 00:17:42,280 --> 00:17:44,200 Speaker 5: of getting players drafted in the way that the auto 372 00:17:44,320 --> 00:17:47,479 Speaker 5: games do. So I once that happened, once we're at 373 00:17:47,520 --> 00:17:49,359 Speaker 5: that time of year, I'll just start reaching out to 374 00:17:49,359 --> 00:17:52,840 Speaker 5: scouts that I know and compiling like a preliminary list. 375 00:17:53,040 --> 00:17:56,960 Speaker 5: And I don't remember who it was who first mentioned 376 00:17:57,040 --> 00:18:00,399 Speaker 5: Levi's name to me, but then the following I just 377 00:18:00,440 --> 00:18:03,320 Speaker 5: happened to be on the phone with one of the 378 00:18:03,359 --> 00:18:06,040 Speaker 5: agents who works for the agency that was representing him. 379 00:18:06,040 --> 00:18:07,919 Speaker 5: We were talking about something else entirely, but then I 380 00:18:07,960 --> 00:18:09,520 Speaker 5: was like, Hey, do you have anybody who puts a 381 00:18:09,600 --> 00:18:13,280 Speaker 5: subscription that's getting good NFL attention? And the agent was like, oh, yeah, 382 00:18:13,359 --> 00:18:15,960 Speaker 5: actually you know Levi Jake Rodriguez, And I was like, Leaves, 383 00:18:15,960 --> 00:18:18,280 Speaker 5: I didn't. I just heard his name and I hadn't 384 00:18:18,320 --> 00:18:20,000 Speaker 5: done much work on him. I was literally was just 385 00:18:20,000 --> 00:18:22,359 Speaker 5: like making a list of names and then going to 386 00:18:22,480 --> 00:18:24,560 Speaker 5: go through and do more work on it and like 387 00:18:25,000 --> 00:18:27,359 Speaker 5: look up their SATs, you know, talk to their agents 388 00:18:27,400 --> 00:18:29,560 Speaker 5: to see, you know, who was at the pro day, 389 00:18:29,800 --> 00:18:32,400 Speaker 5: how many how many visits do they have scheduled? Because 390 00:18:32,400 --> 00:18:34,560 Speaker 5: there's like, now that I've done this enough years, there 391 00:18:34,560 --> 00:18:38,119 Speaker 5: are a lot of like key indicators that show you, Okay, 392 00:18:38,160 --> 00:18:40,959 Speaker 5: does somebody really have a chance to get drafted? Fifty 393 00:18:40,960 --> 00:18:42,880 Speaker 5: percent of my guys have been drafted and fifty percent 394 00:18:43,080 --> 00:18:45,399 Speaker 5: I have not, but they've all figned its pretty free agents. 395 00:18:45,440 --> 00:18:48,679 Speaker 5: But one of those indicators is how many visits do 396 00:18:48,720 --> 00:18:51,959 Speaker 5: they have scheduled? So by the time I narrowed in 397 00:18:52,000 --> 00:18:55,639 Speaker 5: on Levi, he had four visits scheduled, which that's a 398 00:18:55,840 --> 00:18:58,399 Speaker 5: that's a pretty good number. You want, like at least 399 00:18:58,440 --> 00:19:02,400 Speaker 5: four six is the really good number. But if you're 400 00:19:02,440 --> 00:19:04,840 Speaker 5: not a combine guy, you want to have probably at 401 00:19:04,880 --> 00:19:06,760 Speaker 5: least four visits. I feel like you have a good 402 00:19:06,760 --> 00:19:10,040 Speaker 5: shot to get drafted. So that was really good information 403 00:19:10,119 --> 00:19:13,840 Speaker 5: for me to have. And then what's funny is I 404 00:19:13,880 --> 00:19:16,119 Speaker 5: reached out to a couple of Vikings people that I 405 00:19:16,160 --> 00:19:20,880 Speaker 5: know and sent him their name or sent sent their 406 00:19:20,960 --> 00:19:24,280 Speaker 5: name to him, saying, hey, here's a list of guys, 407 00:19:24,840 --> 00:19:26,480 Speaker 5: what do you think is the best candidate here? You know, 408 00:19:26,560 --> 00:19:29,040 Speaker 5: maybe it was like four or five mids. And their 409 00:19:29,160 --> 00:19:33,159 Speaker 5: response was very telling because there wasn't a response. And 410 00:19:33,200 --> 00:19:36,600 Speaker 5: then that's how you kind of know that you hit 411 00:19:36,640 --> 00:19:39,080 Speaker 5: on somebody that a specific team. And I had heard 412 00:19:39,480 --> 00:19:42,800 Speaker 5: I'd heard from other scouts that or I'd heard from 413 00:19:42,800 --> 00:19:46,360 Speaker 5: his agent and others that the Vikings really liked him, 414 00:19:46,800 --> 00:19:49,400 Speaker 5: so I was like, oh, interesting. So then when they 415 00:19:49,440 --> 00:19:52,840 Speaker 5: weren't really responding to me, I was like, Okay, yeah, 416 00:19:52,880 --> 00:19:56,439 Speaker 5: they do really like him. So that was very telling. 417 00:19:56,680 --> 00:19:59,840 Speaker 5: And then I had a really good feeling that it 418 00:19:59,880 --> 00:20:03,440 Speaker 5: was gonna end up the Vikings drafting him, because that week, 419 00:20:03,560 --> 00:20:05,120 Speaker 5: you know, I checkted what's the player in the agent 420 00:20:05,160 --> 00:20:07,720 Speaker 5: throughout the week and they were both like, we haven't 421 00:20:07,760 --> 00:20:10,280 Speaker 5: heard from the Vikings in like a week. And the 422 00:20:10,359 --> 00:20:14,520 Speaker 5: Vikings had been in pretty regular communication with Levi and 423 00:20:14,600 --> 00:20:19,640 Speaker 5: his agent by his names Everett Levy, so they'd kind 424 00:20:19,640 --> 00:20:22,320 Speaker 5: of fallen off in communication with both of that that week. 425 00:20:22,440 --> 00:20:25,879 Speaker 5: And that's usually a very good sign because if a 426 00:20:25,920 --> 00:20:29,360 Speaker 5: team is gonna, you know, sign you as an undirective 427 00:20:29,359 --> 00:20:32,680 Speaker 5: free agent after the draft, they're usually like heavily recruiting 428 00:20:32,720 --> 00:20:36,320 Speaker 5: it through the draft, like during the day the day before, 429 00:20:36,960 --> 00:20:40,280 Speaker 5: you know, they'll send you t shirts and hats and 430 00:20:40,320 --> 00:20:43,680 Speaker 5: things to your house. Like Levi, I hadn't gotten any packages, 431 00:20:43,720 --> 00:20:46,040 Speaker 5: so I was like, Okay, feeling good about this. So yeah, 432 00:20:46,040 --> 00:20:48,800 Speaker 5: but I really thought he was a good candidate, because 433 00:20:48,920 --> 00:20:53,360 Speaker 5: defensive tackles as well are like a valuable position because 434 00:20:53,800 --> 00:20:56,480 Speaker 5: like late in the draft, like I've picked a receiver twice, 435 00:20:56,520 --> 00:20:58,800 Speaker 5: and the receivers just don't get drafted because there's so 436 00:20:58,880 --> 00:21:01,720 Speaker 5: many receivers. So there's really no reason to draft a 437 00:21:01,800 --> 00:21:04,359 Speaker 5: receiver late because you can probably get one and if 438 00:21:04,400 --> 00:21:06,679 Speaker 5: it's not the guy you really really want, you're getting 439 00:21:06,720 --> 00:21:10,479 Speaker 5: like one b to that in priority free agency. So 440 00:21:10,560 --> 00:21:14,480 Speaker 5: Levite's position with super valuable defensive tackle, you know, there's 441 00:21:14,520 --> 00:21:16,720 Speaker 5: just not a lot of guys who are big enough 442 00:21:16,920 --> 00:21:20,720 Speaker 5: and fast enough out there. It's kind of like offensive 443 00:21:20,760 --> 00:21:23,679 Speaker 5: line in that in that sense, so you know, if 444 00:21:23,720 --> 00:21:26,920 Speaker 5: you do fit those height, weight, speed criteria, you've got 445 00:21:26,960 --> 00:21:30,159 Speaker 5: a good shot. And so you know, his athleticism is 446 00:21:30,240 --> 00:21:33,440 Speaker 5: a how you watch some of his highlights, you're like, oh, yeah, 447 00:21:33,480 --> 00:21:37,280 Speaker 5: this guy is nasty. So yeah, all of those things 448 00:21:37,320 --> 00:21:39,400 Speaker 5: kind of combined him to how I how I found him. 449 00:21:39,680 --> 00:21:42,320 Speaker 2: I think that that process and the journey that you 450 00:21:42,440 --> 00:21:45,879 Speaker 2: just walked us through is so unique because teams don't 451 00:21:45,960 --> 00:21:49,360 Speaker 2: usually tell people much like everything is kind of hush, 452 00:21:49,480 --> 00:21:51,480 Speaker 2: right because you don't want to give away your secrets, 453 00:21:51,480 --> 00:21:53,960 Speaker 2: and the fact that you you know kept digging and 454 00:21:54,040 --> 00:21:57,399 Speaker 2: kept understanding. Okay, this kind of makes more sense along 455 00:21:57,440 --> 00:21:59,720 Speaker 2: the way that that brings me to my next question, 456 00:22:00,800 --> 00:22:03,480 Speaker 2: what was your favorite part of this process? Because you know, 457 00:22:03,760 --> 00:22:06,400 Speaker 2: I'm sure you probably have your guy, like you said, 458 00:22:06,440 --> 00:22:09,000 Speaker 2: you you pick your prospect X and then you don't 459 00:22:09,000 --> 00:22:11,399 Speaker 2: really know until after the draft, so like there is 460 00:22:11,480 --> 00:22:13,640 Speaker 2: I'm sure there's a wave of emotions for you as 461 00:22:13,640 --> 00:22:16,600 Speaker 2: a creative. So yeah, what was your favorite portion of 462 00:22:16,640 --> 00:22:17,720 Speaker 2: that whole process for you? 463 00:22:17,960 --> 00:22:20,240 Speaker 5: I it is it just makes day three like so 464 00:22:20,320 --> 00:22:22,000 Speaker 5: much fun because I think a lot of times like 465 00:22:22,119 --> 00:22:25,680 Speaker 5: Day three, if you don't, if you haven't you know, 466 00:22:25,760 --> 00:22:27,119 Speaker 5: if you don't have a connection to any of the 467 00:22:27,119 --> 00:22:30,160 Speaker 5: players on Day three, it's a very long day and 468 00:22:30,359 --> 00:22:32,400 Speaker 5: easy to just tune out and let's not care about 469 00:22:32,400 --> 00:22:35,800 Speaker 5: what happens. But it makes day three be really interesting 470 00:22:35,840 --> 00:22:38,480 Speaker 5: because I'm sitting there in the seventh round like freaking 471 00:22:38,520 --> 00:22:41,560 Speaker 5: out because I'm like, oh my god. And then the Vikings, 472 00:22:41,600 --> 00:22:44,359 Speaker 5: of course they had two seventh round picks and the 473 00:22:44,359 --> 00:22:48,280 Speaker 5: first seventh round pick day Cam Durgan, and I was like, 474 00:22:48,400 --> 00:22:51,800 Speaker 5: oh my god. No, I'm like, there's only one more. 475 00:22:53,000 --> 00:22:55,720 Speaker 5: But luckily this year was funny, like scouts around the 476 00:22:55,800 --> 00:22:58,439 Speaker 5: NFL like are familiar enough with this series now that 477 00:22:58,640 --> 00:23:01,440 Speaker 5: I will be getting text throughout the day or I'll 478 00:23:01,440 --> 00:23:04,960 Speaker 5: be getting text about him because you know, as I 479 00:23:04,960 --> 00:23:06,960 Speaker 5: mentioned part of my prossent, I have to ask scouts 480 00:23:06,960 --> 00:23:09,440 Speaker 5: like who they recommend, right, and so they end up 481 00:23:09,480 --> 00:23:13,399 Speaker 5: knowing like who I've picked, So probably like this broadcast 482 00:23:13,480 --> 00:23:16,719 Speaker 5: is delayed. There was like a stretcher pick, so it 483 00:23:16,760 --> 00:23:21,480 Speaker 5: went it was Vikings, Patriots, Vikings, and then the team 484 00:23:21,680 --> 00:23:24,320 Speaker 5: right before the Vikings I think was the Raiders, and 485 00:23:24,359 --> 00:23:28,720 Speaker 5: he visited Raiders, Vikings and Patriots, so like I was 486 00:23:28,760 --> 00:23:30,960 Speaker 5: like okay, and his agent was like, if he doesn't 487 00:23:30,960 --> 00:23:33,480 Speaker 5: get drafted his next stretch, then he's not getting dropped, 488 00:23:33,600 --> 00:23:35,640 Speaker 5: Like this is the stretch a pick that he's got 489 00:23:35,640 --> 00:23:39,200 Speaker 5: to get drafted in. So Raiders picked somebody else, Vikings 490 00:23:39,240 --> 00:23:41,080 Speaker 5: picked somebody else. But when the Vikings were on the 491 00:23:41,119 --> 00:23:43,120 Speaker 5: clock for the first pick, I got a text from 492 00:23:43,119 --> 00:23:47,479 Speaker 5: two scouts for other teams and they were like congratulations, 493 00:23:47,480 --> 00:23:49,280 Speaker 5: and I was like, oh my god, oh my god. 494 00:23:49,359 --> 00:23:52,280 Speaker 5: But I didn't know who I drafted him because they 495 00:23:52,320 --> 00:23:54,480 Speaker 5: were ahead of me, and you know I was I 496 00:23:54,520 --> 00:23:56,480 Speaker 5: thought it was the Patriots actually because the Patriots were 497 00:23:56,560 --> 00:23:59,399 Speaker 5: up next. I'm like, oh god, New England. Wow. And 498 00:23:59,440 --> 00:24:02,919 Speaker 5: then it was in New England, so it ended up 499 00:24:02,960 --> 00:24:06,000 Speaker 5: being it ended up working out. But yeah, I did 500 00:24:06,040 --> 00:24:08,399 Speaker 5: get the tip. I got the pick tipped to me 501 00:24:08,520 --> 00:24:11,720 Speaker 5: early by some of the scouts who knew who I picked, right, 502 00:24:11,760 --> 00:24:13,760 Speaker 5: And it's just funny because they're like congratulating me, and 503 00:24:13,800 --> 00:24:18,119 Speaker 5: I'm like, I didn't do anything. I'm just part of 504 00:24:18,240 --> 00:24:21,680 Speaker 5: his I'm just following along. But it is it makes 505 00:24:21,720 --> 00:24:24,720 Speaker 5: it really fun too. And when as we talked about 506 00:24:24,720 --> 00:24:27,920 Speaker 5: his personality, like when he's just really like, well guy, 507 00:24:28,160 --> 00:24:30,480 Speaker 5: like I really think, you know, and they said they 508 00:24:30,480 --> 00:24:33,119 Speaker 5: said as much after the draft, like the way he 509 00:24:33,200 --> 00:24:36,159 Speaker 5: interacted with people in the building on his visit was 510 00:24:36,280 --> 00:24:38,639 Speaker 5: a big reason why they felt he was work a 511 00:24:38,720 --> 00:24:41,440 Speaker 5: draft pick and Clacy Clacy even said he turned down 512 00:24:42,040 --> 00:24:43,720 Speaker 5: and I don't know the details of what type of 513 00:24:43,760 --> 00:24:46,120 Speaker 5: trade he turned down, but he said, you know, they 514 00:24:46,119 --> 00:24:48,040 Speaker 5: had an opportunity to trade up, and that meant they 515 00:24:48,040 --> 00:24:50,159 Speaker 5: would have lost a pick and they wouldn't have been 516 00:24:50,160 --> 00:24:53,280 Speaker 5: able to select him. And Clacy said they weren't weren't 517 00:24:53,280 --> 00:24:55,680 Speaker 5: willing to do that, So that kind of shows you, 518 00:24:55,960 --> 00:24:59,520 Speaker 5: like how much this, you know, seven drownd pick really 519 00:24:59,600 --> 00:25:03,040 Speaker 5: meant to and you know, who knows, who knows what 520 00:25:03,160 --> 00:25:05,720 Speaker 5: type of player he's going to become. But you know, 521 00:25:06,520 --> 00:25:10,800 Speaker 5: I was talking to Mike Slaton, who is the national 522 00:25:11,240 --> 00:25:14,239 Speaker 5: or he's the college scouting director, and he was like, 523 00:25:14,560 --> 00:25:17,720 Speaker 5: I don't know where his I don't know what his 524 00:25:17,840 --> 00:25:20,119 Speaker 5: ceiling is going to be. You know, he's going to 525 00:25:20,119 --> 00:25:22,520 Speaker 5: be a starting defensive jag over ten years and make 526 00:25:22,520 --> 00:25:25,000 Speaker 5: a Pro Bowl or you know, if he's going to 527 00:25:25,040 --> 00:25:29,080 Speaker 5: be who knows or a rotational player. Like he's like, 528 00:25:29,119 --> 00:25:31,040 Speaker 5: we don't know that, but I just know that he's 529 00:25:31,080 --> 00:25:33,560 Speaker 5: going to do everything he can to reach that ceiling. 530 00:25:33,920 --> 00:25:36,160 Speaker 5: Whatever his ceiling is, He's going to do everything it takes. 531 00:25:36,200 --> 00:25:38,680 Speaker 5: And I think that's one hundred percent true. 532 00:25:38,720 --> 00:25:43,320 Speaker 1: He's so motivated, Yeah, from following him for so many 533 00:25:43,480 --> 00:25:46,560 Speaker 1: months and kind of telling his story from you know, 534 00:25:46,680 --> 00:25:49,840 Speaker 1: from from that combine or that All Star Game and 535 00:25:49,920 --> 00:25:54,120 Speaker 1: on when he's here Thursday, the report where he's report. 536 00:25:53,800 --> 00:25:54,480 Speaker 4: For Minnie camp. 537 00:25:54,520 --> 00:25:56,480 Speaker 1: He'll be here all weekend, then we'll go through training 538 00:25:56,480 --> 00:25:58,800 Speaker 1: camp and all that stuff. What can what can Vikings 539 00:25:58,840 --> 00:26:00,719 Speaker 1: fans expect as a type of player he is? 540 00:26:01,119 --> 00:26:03,680 Speaker 5: Yeah, I mean he needs to develop a little more 541 00:26:03,720 --> 00:26:06,959 Speaker 5: against the run, and he'll admit that that's like an 542 00:26:06,960 --> 00:26:08,960 Speaker 5: area of his game that he wants to work on. 543 00:26:10,080 --> 00:26:11,919 Speaker 5: So I think that will be good for him because 544 00:26:12,280 --> 00:26:14,400 Speaker 5: I think, you know, Brent Pores is a great defensive 545 00:26:14,440 --> 00:26:17,440 Speaker 5: coordinator and I think has the ability to really develop players. 546 00:26:17,920 --> 00:26:21,280 Speaker 5: So I think he's in a good spot in Minnesota 547 00:26:21,440 --> 00:26:25,080 Speaker 5: in that regards. But he does have, you know, as 548 00:26:25,119 --> 00:26:29,120 Speaker 5: we talked about earlier, like a surprising wealth of pass 549 00:26:29,200 --> 00:26:32,680 Speaker 5: rush tools already, and I think like anytime you draft 550 00:26:32,680 --> 00:26:36,360 Speaker 5: a small school player like him, like he dominated against 551 00:26:36,400 --> 00:26:40,600 Speaker 5: his competition, and then when he got to the Tropical 552 00:26:40,600 --> 00:26:44,199 Speaker 5: Bowl and he's going up against some power five offensive linemen, 553 00:26:44,480 --> 00:26:47,480 Speaker 5: he continued to dominate. So this will be the next 554 00:26:47,560 --> 00:26:51,000 Speaker 5: progression for him, is like can he continue to dominate 555 00:26:51,080 --> 00:26:55,080 Speaker 5: against NFL talent And it may take a while. He's 556 00:26:55,119 --> 00:26:59,959 Speaker 5: got it. He's absolutely a developmental player, but he's risen 557 00:27:00,080 --> 00:27:03,600 Speaker 5: to so far. He's risen to every challenge that he's encountered. 558 00:27:03,680 --> 00:27:06,439 Speaker 5: So it'll be really interesting to see how he starts 559 00:27:06,440 --> 00:27:10,840 Speaker 5: matching up against NFL offensive linemen. But you know, he's 560 00:27:11,000 --> 00:27:15,560 Speaker 5: a really talented pass rusher. He's athletic. He's just kind 561 00:27:15,560 --> 00:27:19,720 Speaker 5: of like violent when he plays, with really no regard 562 00:27:19,840 --> 00:27:23,800 Speaker 5: to others. So that's what you want in his defensive tackle. 563 00:27:24,600 --> 00:27:27,800 Speaker 5: So I think that's promising, you know. And I also think, 564 00:27:27,840 --> 00:27:31,239 Speaker 5: like right now with the Vikings, there really isn't like 565 00:27:31,400 --> 00:27:35,600 Speaker 5: a huge name at defensive tackle that brought competition right like, 566 00:27:36,480 --> 00:27:39,320 Speaker 5: there's an open floor here, and so I don't want 567 00:27:39,320 --> 00:27:42,320 Speaker 5: to hype him up too much because he is an 568 00:27:42,400 --> 00:27:45,359 Speaker 5: SDS guy and still has so much to prove. But 569 00:27:46,200 --> 00:27:49,080 Speaker 5: you know, I think his agent was thrilled when he 570 00:27:49,160 --> 00:27:52,040 Speaker 5: landed in Minnesota, and so with he because they're looking 571 00:27:52,080 --> 00:27:54,919 Speaker 5: at the depth chart and there's just a ton of 572 00:27:54,920 --> 00:27:58,479 Speaker 5: opportunity in Minnesota. I think going into the draft they 573 00:27:58,520 --> 00:28:02,240 Speaker 5: had five defensive linemens on the roster and your average 574 00:28:02,240 --> 00:28:05,520 Speaker 5: team has ten right now. So you know, that was 575 00:28:05,560 --> 00:28:08,480 Speaker 5: a great It was a great landing spot for him 576 00:28:08,600 --> 00:28:11,520 Speaker 5: in that regard because he does have a real opportunity. 577 00:28:11,600 --> 00:28:13,919 Speaker 6: The thing for this organization too, is we've always kind 578 00:28:13,920 --> 00:28:15,600 Speaker 6: of prided ourselves on being able to find some of 579 00:28:15,640 --> 00:28:17,879 Speaker 6: those diamonds in the rough and having your guys and 580 00:28:17,920 --> 00:28:20,040 Speaker 6: your John Randall's and Adam Thielens who have made these 581 00:28:20,080 --> 00:28:21,960 Speaker 6: kind of squads with these kind of opportunities. 582 00:28:22,080 --> 00:28:22,679 Speaker 3: Yeah. 583 00:28:22,720 --> 00:28:24,560 Speaker 6: One of the things with him though, that stood out 584 00:28:24,600 --> 00:28:26,600 Speaker 6: to me so much within your article was just talking 585 00:28:26,640 --> 00:28:29,240 Speaker 6: about how much family meant to him and just kind 586 00:28:29,280 --> 00:28:32,440 Speaker 6: of family, friends and everybody there trying to support him. 587 00:28:33,240 --> 00:28:35,280 Speaker 6: Is there something that really kind of stuck with you 588 00:28:35,840 --> 00:28:38,760 Speaker 6: having talked to everybody within the family and friendship circle, 589 00:28:39,280 --> 00:28:41,880 Speaker 6: just to kind of understand why it feels like this 590 00:28:41,920 --> 00:28:44,400 Speaker 6: guy is so motivated and why it's stuck at this 591 00:28:44,480 --> 00:28:46,120 Speaker 6: point for him to get this opportunity. 592 00:28:46,280 --> 00:28:48,200 Speaker 5: Yeah, I mean I talked to both of his parents, 593 00:28:48,280 --> 00:28:53,840 Speaker 5: and they both were really impressive, and you know, neither 594 00:28:53,920 --> 00:28:57,880 Speaker 5: of them finished college, and so they're saying was we 595 00:28:57,920 --> 00:29:01,040 Speaker 5: want our kids to go to college and finish and 596 00:29:01,040 --> 00:29:04,200 Speaker 5: get a degree. And they just really believed in their kids. 597 00:29:04,320 --> 00:29:07,560 Speaker 5: And there was an anecdote that I put in the 598 00:29:07,600 --> 00:29:10,560 Speaker 5: second article where you know, his mom was saying, like 599 00:29:11,240 --> 00:29:13,600 Speaker 5: she went to the college counselor when he was in 600 00:29:13,680 --> 00:29:15,720 Speaker 5: high school, went to the high school concert to ask 601 00:29:15,760 --> 00:29:18,960 Speaker 5: about colleges and scholarships and taken the fat and just 602 00:29:19,000 --> 00:29:22,640 Speaker 5: get more information, and the counselor told her, oh, missus, 603 00:29:22,680 --> 00:29:26,560 Speaker 5: Robert goes, you know, college isn't for everybody. I know. 604 00:29:26,760 --> 00:29:34,760 Speaker 5: It's so mean. Levi has ADHD and he his parents 605 00:29:34,800 --> 00:29:38,600 Speaker 5: never really wanted to have him take any medicine for 606 00:29:38,680 --> 00:29:41,400 Speaker 5: it because they didn't want to have it like alter 607 00:29:41,520 --> 00:29:43,640 Speaker 5: his personality or anything. And that's kind of how they 608 00:29:43,720 --> 00:29:45,720 Speaker 5: describe it. So they put him into sports and just 609 00:29:45,760 --> 00:29:50,160 Speaker 5: really threw him into activity sports. Go into the backyard 610 00:29:50,160 --> 00:29:53,200 Speaker 5: and play, like get your energy out in a natural way. 611 00:29:53,320 --> 00:29:55,960 Speaker 5: And so he kind of struggled in school a little 612 00:29:55,960 --> 00:29:59,320 Speaker 5: bit because of, uh, you know, dealing with ADHD. But 613 00:30:00,120 --> 00:30:03,200 Speaker 5: his mom was like, we're not willing to accept that, 614 00:30:03,480 --> 00:30:06,280 Speaker 5: and so she told him, no, you can go to college. 615 00:30:06,320 --> 00:30:08,560 Speaker 5: You are going to college. And so, I don't know, 616 00:30:08,600 --> 00:30:11,479 Speaker 5: I feel like it comes from he's just he had 617 00:30:11,520 --> 00:30:15,480 Speaker 5: a very supportive family growing up who just really told 618 00:30:15,560 --> 00:30:18,080 Speaker 5: him he could do whatever he wanted to do, and 619 00:30:18,280 --> 00:30:20,960 Speaker 5: you know, he And another example is like he was 620 00:30:21,760 --> 00:30:26,080 Speaker 5: he was underweight in college for playing defensive tackle, and 621 00:30:26,120 --> 00:30:28,760 Speaker 5: so he knew if he needed if he wanted an 622 00:30:28,880 --> 00:30:31,080 Speaker 5: NFL future, he was going to need to weigh around 623 00:30:31,080 --> 00:30:33,440 Speaker 5: three hundred pounds and he was playing at like two 624 00:30:33,480 --> 00:30:39,040 Speaker 5: eighty something mid two eighties. So he dedicated himself this 625 00:30:39,600 --> 00:30:43,200 Speaker 5: off season to gaining weight, and he's now around three 626 00:30:43,200 --> 00:30:46,120 Speaker 5: oh six. He's probably a little bit more now because 627 00:30:46,160 --> 00:30:48,360 Speaker 5: that weight was from a couple of weeks ago. So 628 00:30:49,120 --> 00:30:51,320 Speaker 5: you know, in the there was a story I told 629 00:30:51,360 --> 00:30:54,400 Speaker 5: in the first version or the first part of the 630 00:30:54,440 --> 00:30:57,400 Speaker 5: series where he's like sitting down at lunch trying to 631 00:30:57,400 --> 00:31:00,959 Speaker 5: eat three plays of fo and he has to like 632 00:31:01,080 --> 00:31:05,200 Speaker 5: cheer himself on halfway through because that's obviously like not 633 00:31:05,280 --> 00:31:09,240 Speaker 5: a natural thing to do and it's uncomfortable, and he 634 00:31:09,440 --> 00:31:11,480 Speaker 5: did it, and he does that every single day to 635 00:31:11,640 --> 00:31:15,360 Speaker 5: like get himself to the weight that he's trying to 636 00:31:15,360 --> 00:31:17,960 Speaker 5: be at. So yeah, I think it's just coming from 637 00:31:17,960 --> 00:31:21,960 Speaker 5: a supportive environment and then just really having this mentality 638 00:31:22,440 --> 00:31:24,000 Speaker 5: that you know, he knows he. 639 00:31:24,000 --> 00:31:25,200 Speaker 3: Can do it anecdotally. 640 00:31:25,240 --> 00:31:27,320 Speaker 6: That reminds me so much of the stories that John 641 00:31:27,400 --> 00:31:30,360 Speaker 6: Randall told about when he came to Minnesota because he 642 00:31:30,440 --> 00:31:32,360 Speaker 6: was weighing like two forty five and they told him 643 00:31:32,400 --> 00:31:34,560 Speaker 6: at the time he needed to be two fifty and 644 00:31:34,600 --> 00:31:37,000 Speaker 6: he was doing things like drinking gallons of water to 645 00:31:37,160 --> 00:31:39,760 Speaker 6: gain water weight, and then he went to go do 646 00:31:39,840 --> 00:31:43,280 Speaker 6: like his official way in to make the squad and 647 00:31:43,320 --> 00:31:45,560 Speaker 6: he's wearing a sweatshirt and he got in the on 648 00:31:45,600 --> 00:31:47,720 Speaker 6: the scale and they're like, holy cow, you hit two fifty. 649 00:31:47,720 --> 00:31:48,360 Speaker 3: How'd you do that? 650 00:31:48,720 --> 00:31:50,280 Speaker 6: And he just kind of said, like, you know, kind 651 00:31:50,280 --> 00:31:52,520 Speaker 6: of shrugged his shoulders like I don't know, and all 652 00:31:52,520 --> 00:31:54,080 Speaker 6: of a sudden there was a noise. And what they 653 00:31:54,080 --> 00:31:57,400 Speaker 6: didn't realize was he was weighing wearing a heavy chain 654 00:31:57,480 --> 00:32:00,480 Speaker 6: around his neck in order to try to get the 655 00:32:00,520 --> 00:32:03,520 Speaker 6: extra weight to get to two fifty. So like, it 656 00:32:03,680 --> 00:32:06,320 Speaker 6: just proves that some of these guys do anything possible 657 00:32:06,360 --> 00:32:08,680 Speaker 6: to get this opportunity. So for me, I just look 658 00:32:08,680 --> 00:32:10,520 Speaker 6: at LEVI. He's going to be one of those guys 659 00:32:10,520 --> 00:32:12,000 Speaker 6: that's going to do everything he can to try to 660 00:32:12,000 --> 00:32:12,280 Speaker 6: make it. 661 00:32:12,440 --> 00:32:16,640 Speaker 5: Yeah, and I will be really excited to follow. I'll 662 00:32:16,640 --> 00:32:18,200 Speaker 5: be excited to follow his career. 663 00:32:18,520 --> 00:32:21,000 Speaker 2: Well, you're you're not too far from Minnesota, so I 664 00:32:21,000 --> 00:32:23,120 Speaker 2: don't know if we just gained a new Minnesota Vikings 665 00:32:23,120 --> 00:32:26,440 Speaker 2: fan the fact you live in Chicago. But just in case, 666 00:32:26,520 --> 00:32:28,400 Speaker 2: in case you get curious. 667 00:32:28,680 --> 00:32:30,720 Speaker 5: To come by training camp, I think I'll have to 668 00:32:30,720 --> 00:32:32,720 Speaker 5: come during training camp and make a visit. 669 00:32:32,920 --> 00:32:36,040 Speaker 2: Absolutely lot us know I will, Kaylen, we so appreciate 670 00:32:36,080 --> 00:32:38,600 Speaker 2: your time today. This was this was great. I think 671 00:32:38,720 --> 00:32:41,720 Speaker 2: Vikings fans who were tuned in are going to understand 672 00:32:42,160 --> 00:32:45,600 Speaker 2: who Levi, who Levi is outside of just the player 673 00:32:45,640 --> 00:32:47,800 Speaker 2: on the field. They will understand the human aspect of it. 674 00:32:47,840 --> 00:32:50,920 Speaker 2: So we we thoroughly appreciate this article and are you 675 00:32:50,920 --> 00:32:52,000 Speaker 2: giving us your time today? 676 00:32:52,040 --> 00:32:53,440 Speaker 5: Thanks so much for highlighting it. 677 00:32:54,960 --> 00:32:58,640 Speaker 2: What a conversation that was with Kaylen Taylor from The Athletic, 678 00:32:58,800 --> 00:33:03,320 Speaker 2: just a wealth of insight on her process of selecting 679 00:33:03,440 --> 00:33:06,720 Speaker 2: Levi Drake rock Regaz as her prospect X. We were 680 00:33:06,760 --> 00:33:09,840 Speaker 2: just talking a little bit off air about how the 681 00:33:09,880 --> 00:33:13,880 Speaker 2: anxiety I guess that the wave of emotions of teams 682 00:33:13,880 --> 00:33:15,880 Speaker 2: not getting back to you and basically saying, Okay, maybe 683 00:33:15,880 --> 00:33:18,160 Speaker 2: I'm not on the right path. But I think understanding 684 00:33:18,200 --> 00:33:20,840 Speaker 2: that she knew that teams weren't getting back to her, 685 00:33:21,160 --> 00:33:24,000 Speaker 2: she understood that, Yeah, there is a wave of emotions 686 00:33:24,040 --> 00:33:26,840 Speaker 2: that go goes with that, but there is some credibility 687 00:33:27,000 --> 00:33:29,520 Speaker 2: understanding that these teams aren't going to hit you back 688 00:33:29,560 --> 00:33:31,880 Speaker 2: because they know that that's a guy that they have 689 00:33:32,040 --> 00:33:34,720 Speaker 2: on their draft board. So the fact that she she's 690 00:33:35,000 --> 00:33:36,360 Speaker 2: stuck to what she knows. 691 00:33:36,160 --> 00:33:39,680 Speaker 4: And has right where is a good thing. 692 00:33:39,960 --> 00:33:42,960 Speaker 2: Exactly left on Red like, I know that's something that 693 00:33:42,960 --> 00:33:44,720 Speaker 2: the kids say. Okay, well he left me on red. 694 00:33:44,760 --> 00:33:47,280 Speaker 2: Maybe Quaycy did leave her on red. And ultimately Quacy 695 00:33:47,360 --> 00:33:50,760 Speaker 2: selected Levi Drake Rodriguez in the seventh round in the 696 00:33:50,800 --> 00:33:52,040 Speaker 2: twenty twenty four NFL Draft. 697 00:33:52,120 --> 00:33:54,040 Speaker 6: Jay, Yeah, it just reminds me of Harrison Smith was 698 00:33:54,080 --> 00:33:56,720 Speaker 6: a similar deal where he had only talked to them 699 00:33:56,760 --> 00:33:58,880 Speaker 6: at the combine for the quick interview or whatever, and 700 00:33:58,920 --> 00:34:01,400 Speaker 6: then they never touched never touch base with him or 701 00:34:01,440 --> 00:34:04,160 Speaker 6: his agent or anything again because they loved him so much. 702 00:34:04,240 --> 00:34:07,240 Speaker 6: They said, we're gonna ghost this whole thing, so nobody 703 00:34:07,240 --> 00:34:09,479 Speaker 6: knows that we're on it. And he said, the only 704 00:34:09,840 --> 00:34:11,880 Speaker 6: way he knew that that he was even on our 705 00:34:11,960 --> 00:34:14,480 Speaker 6: radar was the fact that first draft was happening, or 706 00:34:14,520 --> 00:34:16,359 Speaker 6: first round of the draft was happening, and he saw 707 00:34:16,360 --> 00:34:18,719 Speaker 6: the number pop up on the screen and went like 708 00:34:19,120 --> 00:34:21,719 Speaker 6: this one too, is that and then answered it was 709 00:34:21,719 --> 00:34:23,400 Speaker 6: the Viking sand We're picking you in the first round. 710 00:34:23,480 --> 00:34:27,520 Speaker 6: So yeah, it's the game. We talked about it exactly. 711 00:34:27,560 --> 00:34:30,120 Speaker 6: We talked about the entire time. There's this process game 712 00:34:30,160 --> 00:34:32,840 Speaker 6: within the game, you start ghosting people because you know, 713 00:34:32,840 --> 00:34:35,120 Speaker 6: it's almost like being in middle school where it's like, Hey, 714 00:34:35,200 --> 00:34:36,879 Speaker 6: you got the person that you like, but you can't 715 00:34:36,880 --> 00:34:38,400 Speaker 6: talk to him because you're too nervous about it. 716 00:34:38,400 --> 00:34:39,720 Speaker 3: It's like similar kind of a deal. 717 00:34:39,600 --> 00:34:40,800 Speaker 4: Something like such strategy. 718 00:34:40,960 --> 00:34:43,560 Speaker 6: It's just the thing about it is the article is 719 00:34:43,600 --> 00:34:46,160 Speaker 6: so well written. We were talking about this even before beforehand. 720 00:34:46,320 --> 00:34:48,320 Speaker 6: It's so well written because not only do you understand 721 00:34:48,320 --> 00:34:51,040 Speaker 6: the person, but you understand the process behind it, and 722 00:34:51,800 --> 00:34:53,960 Speaker 6: whether it's the Viking side or even you know, family 723 00:34:53,960 --> 00:34:56,560 Speaker 6: and friends and kind of understanding their emotions. And so 724 00:34:56,600 --> 00:34:58,759 Speaker 6: I think you know, Calen, you can tell she put 725 00:34:58,760 --> 00:35:01,600 Speaker 6: a ton of effort into this and they completely paid off. 726 00:35:01,960 --> 00:35:04,080 Speaker 6: Now it turns into a deal where you know, Levi 727 00:35:04,320 --> 00:35:06,840 Speaker 6: Drake is going to get his opportunity with the team 728 00:35:07,239 --> 00:35:09,080 Speaker 6: and he's going to try to make it payoff on 729 00:35:09,120 --> 00:35:11,680 Speaker 6: his end too. So it's an awesome story. It's great 730 00:35:11,760 --> 00:35:13,439 Speaker 6: and these are the kind of things that I think 731 00:35:13,520 --> 00:35:15,880 Speaker 6: a lot of fans, even if you're not necessarily a 732 00:35:15,920 --> 00:35:18,520 Speaker 6: straight football fan, these are the kind of stories you 733 00:35:18,560 --> 00:35:20,399 Speaker 6: can get behind and really be invested in when you're 734 00:35:20,400 --> 00:35:22,920 Speaker 6: trying to pay attention to what's going on behind the scenes. 735 00:35:23,080 --> 00:35:26,880 Speaker 1: And it all comes down to so much of rooting 736 00:35:26,920 --> 00:35:29,640 Speaker 1: for a player as opposed to a team sometimes and 737 00:35:29,680 --> 00:35:33,799 Speaker 1: when you read an article, you see exactly who Levi 738 00:35:34,000 --> 00:35:36,000 Speaker 1: Drake is and it just makes you want to root 739 00:35:36,000 --> 00:35:38,440 Speaker 1: for a guy like this. You know, the underdog always 740 00:35:39,040 --> 00:35:43,200 Speaker 1: is something that resonates with this world, with this time 741 00:35:43,239 --> 00:35:45,680 Speaker 1: and place. You love those hearing those kinds of stories, 742 00:35:45,680 --> 00:35:47,800 Speaker 1: and he just feels like the ultimate underdog. 743 00:35:48,320 --> 00:35:51,120 Speaker 2: It's a great story. And the chip that he has 744 00:35:51,160 --> 00:35:53,759 Speaker 2: on his shoulder, I'm sure that is going to make 745 00:35:53,800 --> 00:35:56,200 Speaker 2: this entire locker room better. There is going to be 746 00:35:56,239 --> 00:35:59,120 Speaker 2: a lot of competition at that interior defensive lineman spot, 747 00:35:59,160 --> 00:36:02,600 Speaker 2: and to Aalen's point, Levi is going to be in 748 00:36:02,640 --> 00:36:04,640 Speaker 2: the running for a guy who's going to make this 749 00:36:04,719 --> 00:36:07,960 Speaker 2: fifty three man roster. Understanding that competition there, This is 750 00:36:08,000 --> 00:36:12,560 Speaker 2: a Brian Flores game that really predicates itself on the 751 00:36:12,600 --> 00:36:14,719 Speaker 2: best player being on the field at all times. And 752 00:36:15,200 --> 00:36:17,880 Speaker 2: forget if you're a first round er, second rounder, undrafted 753 00:36:17,880 --> 00:36:20,640 Speaker 2: guy or Levi or in this case, a seventh rounder 754 00:36:21,000 --> 00:36:23,600 Speaker 2: as Levi Drake was. But still this is going to 755 00:36:23,640 --> 00:36:27,160 Speaker 2: be a very very very very fun opportunity for all 756 00:36:27,200 --> 00:36:28,040 Speaker 2: parties involved. 757 00:36:28,120 --> 00:36:30,040 Speaker 6: And I think the thing too is that we saw 758 00:36:30,200 --> 00:36:33,959 Speaker 6: last season between the end of last season and where 759 00:36:33,960 --> 00:36:36,560 Speaker 6: we've gone through with free agency and now these draft picks, 760 00:36:37,280 --> 00:36:40,960 Speaker 6: the edge and the interior defensive tackled position, those have 761 00:36:41,080 --> 00:36:44,080 Speaker 6: all been essentially, for lack of a better term, in 762 00:36:44,120 --> 00:36:47,200 Speaker 6: flux in order to figure out, you know, players leaving, 763 00:36:47,200 --> 00:36:49,680 Speaker 6: players coming in replacements, and then. 764 00:36:49,600 --> 00:36:50,440 Speaker 3: Looking for depth. 765 00:36:50,480 --> 00:36:52,640 Speaker 6: We were talking about that last season too, of just 766 00:36:52,800 --> 00:36:54,319 Speaker 6: getting towards the back end of the season in some 767 00:36:54,360 --> 00:36:56,279 Speaker 6: of those positions, you felt like they needed more depth 768 00:36:56,280 --> 00:36:58,399 Speaker 6: because it felt like guys were getting tired at times. 769 00:36:58,400 --> 00:37:00,520 Speaker 6: So for a guy like him like it, it's smart 770 00:37:00,560 --> 00:37:02,839 Speaker 6: on his end and it's smart on his agent's end 771 00:37:03,080 --> 00:37:04,880 Speaker 6: to identify one of those kind of teams. Again, it 772 00:37:04,960 --> 00:37:07,239 Speaker 6: brought him up before, but the John Randall story was 773 00:37:07,280 --> 00:37:09,960 Speaker 6: the same thing. His brother, Herb was playing in Tampa 774 00:37:10,360 --> 00:37:12,359 Speaker 6: and said, Hey, you want to come do a try 775 00:37:12,360 --> 00:37:13,759 Speaker 6: out there, and he said, I think. 776 00:37:13,640 --> 00:37:14,719 Speaker 3: I'm gonna stick in Minnesota. 777 00:37:15,000 --> 00:37:16,400 Speaker 6: See how this works out, because it might be an 778 00:37:16,440 --> 00:37:19,000 Speaker 6: opportunity here and the rest is history. So for a 779 00:37:19,040 --> 00:37:22,279 Speaker 6: guy like him to identify that and feel like he's 780 00:37:22,360 --> 00:37:24,840 Speaker 6: kind of landed in the landing spot, that's going to 781 00:37:24,880 --> 00:37:26,719 Speaker 6: be most advantageous for him. I think It's a great, 782 00:37:26,840 --> 00:37:28,640 Speaker 6: great thing to follow, and it's gonna be a lot 783 00:37:28,680 --> 00:37:30,560 Speaker 6: of fun this weekend just to see it and what 784 00:37:30,600 --> 00:37:32,560 Speaker 6: comes out of it, and then for the next couple 785 00:37:32,600 --> 00:37:34,600 Speaker 6: of months leading up into camp, just to see, if 786 00:37:34,880 --> 00:37:36,560 Speaker 6: you know, what happens with him and his story. 787 00:37:36,680 --> 00:37:39,520 Speaker 2: Football is finally back. I'm excited for it, and this 788 00:37:39,560 --> 00:37:41,719 Speaker 2: weekend is going to be the first look that we 789 00:37:41,760 --> 00:37:44,960 Speaker 2: get at some of these guys. So to see all 790 00:37:45,040 --> 00:37:47,239 Speaker 2: these guys that we have previewed and talked about for 791 00:37:47,280 --> 00:37:49,880 Speaker 2: weeks and weeks, to finally see them on the field 792 00:37:50,719 --> 00:37:53,239 Speaker 2: running routes, being who they are on the field, Like, 793 00:37:53,800 --> 00:37:56,840 Speaker 2: I'm excited just to have a different perspective of some 794 00:37:57,000 --> 00:38:00,000 Speaker 2: of the ways that we present some of these stories 795 00:38:00,200 --> 00:38:03,680 Speaker 2: to our fans. So in the meantime, schedule releases next week. 796 00:38:03,840 --> 00:38:06,279 Speaker 2: That is going to be another exciting thing. The date 797 00:38:06,800 --> 00:38:10,160 Speaker 2: is not official just yet as we record, but while 798 00:38:10,280 --> 00:38:13,759 Speaker 2: Ricky Minniamp will get fans excited now fans can plan 799 00:38:13,800 --> 00:38:15,840 Speaker 2: out the rest of the year next week understanding that 800 00:38:16,040 --> 00:38:18,480 Speaker 2: all the games, the slate of games for the vikings 801 00:38:18,520 --> 00:38:21,680 Speaker 2: will be released to the general republic, and I will 802 00:38:21,719 --> 00:38:25,320 Speaker 2: know what dates we will be here and what dates 803 00:38:25,360 --> 00:38:28,640 Speaker 2: we will have an opportunity to try to find some sleep. 804 00:38:28,719 --> 00:38:31,920 Speaker 3: I think we know what the next week's topic might 805 00:38:32,000 --> 00:38:33,359 Speaker 3: be for the show. 806 00:38:34,239 --> 00:38:36,160 Speaker 4: Justine it welby. What am I going to do with 807 00:38:36,200 --> 00:38:37,000 Speaker 4: my free time? 808 00:38:37,239 --> 00:38:40,040 Speaker 1: Can I make this event on a weekend during football season? 809 00:38:40,120 --> 00:38:40,960 Speaker 4: Who gets married? 810 00:38:41,000 --> 00:38:41,399 Speaker 5: And fall? 811 00:38:41,560 --> 00:38:43,200 Speaker 4: All those questions will be answered. 812 00:38:43,239 --> 00:38:45,239 Speaker 3: It's the same thing that everybody else does when they 813 00:38:45,239 --> 00:38:46,719 Speaker 3: get to schedule. It'll be a lot of fun. 814 00:38:46,880 --> 00:38:49,000 Speaker 2: Vikings fans stay tuned the Vikings dot Com for the 815 00:38:49,000 --> 00:38:50,799 Speaker 2: most up to day coverage of the team. We hope 816 00:38:50,840 --> 00:38:54,279 Speaker 2: you enjoyed today's podcast because we know next week is 817 00:38:54,320 --> 00:38:57,120 Speaker 2: going to be that much more exciting for Tatum Everett, 818 00:38:57,160 --> 00:38:59,920 Speaker 2: Jay Nelson and our producer Eric Davidson. My name is Gabean. 819 00:39:00,440 --> 00:39:01,560 Speaker 2: We will talk to you next week. 820 00:39:03,400 --> 00:39:06,359 Speaker 1: Spolond Montage is the Twin Cities premier salon and spa 821 00:39:06,520 --> 00:39:11,120 Speaker 1: destination and proud official hair sponsor of the Minnesota Vikings cheerleaders. 822 00:39:11,480 --> 00:39:15,440 Speaker 1: With three convenient locations in a Dinah, Woodbury, and chan Hassen. 823 00:39:15,680 --> 00:39:18,680 Speaker 1: There is a Spalan close to you. 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