Vikings Add to Interior OL and Interior DL in Seventh Round of 2024 NFL Draft
The Vikings selected Wake Forest center Michael Jurgens and Texas A&M-Commerce defensive tackle Levi Drake Rodriguez with their two seventh-round picks (Nos. 230 and 232 overall) in the 2024 NFL Draft. After taking an offensive tackle and a kicker in the sixth round, the Vikings added to their interior offensive line and their interior defensive line to wrap up their draft class.
Jurgens is a 6'4", 311-pound OL who started 34 games at center before moving to left guard last year as a fifth-year senior. He led all FBS guards in run-blocking grade in 2023 and was a three-time team captain in college. Jurgens has center/guard flexibility and will compete for a backup job on the interior OL in Minnesota.
Rodriguez began his college career at Southwestern Assemblies of God University, an NAIA school in Waxahachie, Texas. He then transferred to TAMU-C, who plays in the Southland Conference at the D1 FCS level. Last year, Rodriguez had 5.5 sacks and 7.5 total TFL, earning all-conference honors. He's a 6'2", 300-pound DT who plays three-technique and has some quickness and violence to his game. The Vikings need more pass rush from their defensive tackle room, so Rodriguez is an interesting dart throw in the seventh round.
This completes the Vikings' 2024 draft class. Next up: UDFAs. Here's who Minnesota selected with its seven picks this year:
1.10: J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan
1.17: Dallas Turner, OLB, Alabama
4.108: Khyree Jackson, CB, Oregon
6.177: Walter Rouse, OT, Oklahoma
6.203: Will Reichard, K, Alabama
7.230: Michael Jurgens, C, Wake Forest
7.232: Levi Drake Rodriguez, DT, Texas A&M-Commerce
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WILL RAGATZ
Will Ragatz is the publisher of Inside the Vikings, an SI.com channel in the Fan Nation network. He's in his fourth season as a credentialed Minnesota Vikings beat writer, covering the team at practices, games, and all offseason long. Will posts daily Vikings articles year-round. Not only is he on top of all the latest news, he provides the analysis and context to put the news into perspective. He knows the team inside and out, which allows him to bring depth and quality to his coverage. From free agency to the draft to training camp and the NFL season, Will covers every relevant story surrounding the Vikings. Prior to taking this role in 2019, Will attended Northwestern University and studied at the renowned Medill School of Journalism. As a student, he covered Northwestern Wildcats football and basketball, among other sports, for SB Nation's Inside NU. Will was a co-editor-in-chief of the site during his junior year. In the fall of 2018, Will interned at Sports Illustrated's newsroom in New York City, writing articles primarily on Major League Baseball, college football, and college basketball for SI.com. A native of Minneapolis who still resides in the city, Will grew up a diehard Minnesota sports fan. He played baseball at Southwest High School and wrote for the student newspaper.