Andy Luke & Arif Football Machine

Sam Ekstrom, Arif Hasan and Luke Inman discuss a big week of Minnesota Vikings news: -Kirk Cousins' controversial mask comments -Riley Reiff restructuring his contract to stay in Minnesota -Does Yannick Ngakoue give the Vikings the best DE tandem in the league? -Is Alexander Hollins Mr. Mankato? -What stats will former Vikings have this year?  

Sam Ekstrom and Luke Inman put together an emergency podcast on the breaking news that the Minnesota Vikings acquired DE Yannick Ngakoue from the Jacksonville Jaguars. -How talented is Ngakoue? -How does it change the Vikings' rotation? -What does it mean for Ifeadi Odenigbo? -Where will the money come from?

Sam Ekstrom, Arif Hasan and Luke Inman convene for another Zone Coverage Football Machine, covering the Vikings and the NFL. Topics include: -The Vikings announce no fans for at least the first two games. How will it affect the betting line? -Eddie Yarbrough trivia -What should be the panic level over Danielle Hunter's mysterious injury? -Greater Than, Less Than (i.e., Will Irv Smith Jr.'s receiving yardage be greater than or less than Justin Jefferson's?) -Twitter questions

Former New York Jets cornerback Eric Crocker stops by The Draft Rap studio to discuss the current training camp buzz along with his early picks to represent the NFC in the 2020 Super Bowl.  Host Luke Inman has Crocker list his cornerback superlatives from best press to fastest cover man in the league. Plus, the duo take a deep dive into the Minnesota Vikings secondary, breaking down the inexperienced unit's outlook under Mike Zimmer's watchful eye. Inman puts Crocker through the gauntlet during "Rapid Fire" where he unveils some serious hard hitting questions and answers like Jordan vs Lebron and the best way to cook a steak. You can only find this wide range of top notch sports journalism and broadcasting here on The Draft Rap. 

Sam Ekstrom and Luke Inman discuss the latest from Vikings training camp, including: -False positives send eight Vikings into quarantine -Reasons why it's been a fairly uneventful camp for the Vikings -Who will be the surprise cuts? -How are the young corners developing? -Should the Vikings have added some veterans late in free agency?

Sam Ekstrom, Arif Hasan and Luke Inman join to discuss what they've learned so far at Vikings training camp. Topics include: -Is the defensive line a bigger concern than we expected? -Are the starting guard candidates good enough? -Which unheralded rookies (if any) have stood out? -How are the top four draft picks looking, and which rookie corner will join the starting lineup? -Will the Vikings have fans this year? -Could the Vikings franchise tag Dalvin Cook next year if they don't strike a deal?

Sam Ekstrom, Luke Inman and Arif Hasan are back to discuss the latest with the National Football League and the Minnesota Vikings. Topics include: -What are the ripple effects of college football postponing until the spring? -What do we want to see from the Vikings at the first open training camp practices? -What will the depth chart be at wide receiver and corner? -What elements of fan-less game presentation should the NFL take from other sports? -Memory Frenzy: Coach Edition

Offensive line guru Brandon Thorn jumps in The Draft Rap studio to breakdown the Minnesota Vikings landscape in the trenches and where he has the unit ranked coming into the 2020 NFL season.  Thorn helps host Luke Inman dissect the NFC North's best up and coming interior lineman like Garrett Bradbury, Elgton Jenkins and Frank Ragnow along with ranking the best and brightest offensive and defensive line coaches in the league. Loaded and jam packed episode you don't want to miss. 

Sam Ekstrom and Arif Hasan discuss the latest in Vikings football. Topics include: -The trade for P.J. Hall, followed by Hall's failed physical and the trade reversal -Gary Kubiak made some interesting comments about the offensive line depth chart -Rick Spielman signed an extension. How will he be remembered? -Ranking the Vikings position groups top to bottom -Twitter questions

Sam Ekstrom, Arif Hasan and Luke Inman discuss the latest Minnesota Vikings news. Topics include: -Eric Sugarman contracts COVID-19 -Seven Vikings players go on the Reserve/COVID-19 list -Michael Pierce opts out of the season -Five Vikings wind up in the NFL Top 100

Sam Ekstrom, Arif Hasan and Luke Inman discuss the latest in Minnesota Vikings football. Topics include: -Mike Zimmer's reported contract extension. Is Rick Spielman next? -The Wilfs want to buy the Timberwolves. Are they a better option than Kevin Garnett? -Training camp rosters need to get down to 80. Who's in trouble? -Will a shortened camp hurt the Vikings? -Who are the top candidates for Mr. Mankato? -Zone Coverage Beer Chug II analysis.

Former South Dakota State Jack Rabbit football alum and fitness guru Dominique Clare joins Luke Inman on The Draft Rap to breakdown the landscape of the entire NFL and Minnesota Vikings with the announcement of no preseason games during training camp.  The two also recap the 2020 NFL Draft and the Vikings' league-high 15 draft selections and take a look back at the 2018 draft and what they would change in a redraft. 

Sam Ekstrom and Arif Hasan discuss the latest with the Vikings and the NFL. Topics include: -Washington announces it is changing its nickname. -Anthony Harris does not sign a long-term contract before the negotiating deadline. -Dog Eddie Crane makes his return. -Derrick Henry inks a $50 million deal. What does it mean for Dalvin Cook? -Why is Mike Zimmer still without a deal? -Vikings-themed 'Would You Rather?'

Sam Ekstrom, Arif Hasan and Luke Inman discuss the latest with the Vikings and the NFL. Topics include: -Patrick Mahomes' $500 million deal with the Chiefs. What precedents will it set? -The NFL might not have a preseason. Does the NFLPA have a case? What affect would it have on rosters? -Which players are the easiest cuts for the Vikings if they have to prematurely trim the roster? -What is a super bold prediction for the offense and the defense in 2020?

Sam Ekstrom, Arif Hasan and Luke Inman discuss the latest NFL and Vikings storylines. Topics include: -Cam Newton signs a one-year deal with the New England Patriots. Will he start? How will he perform? -There are trade rumors linking Desmond King to the Vikings. Would it be a good fit? -"Don't Want Him, Wouldn't Mind Him, Gotta Have Him" Game -Shortened NFL preseason -4th of July Food Draft

Sam Ekstrom, Arif Hasan and Luke Inman discuss the latest with the NFL and the Minnesota Vikings. Topics include: -Which Vikings would you like to hear mic'd up? -Either-Or Game (Who should make the roster?) -Numbers Game -Adrian Peterson wants to play four more years. Can he? -Twitter questions

Sam Ekstrom, Arif Hasan and Luke Inman delve into the latest Minnesota Vikings and league topics, including: -Which Vikings would you prioritize paying before Dalvin Cook? -Arif gives his take on the team's social justice initiatives -Can Justin Jefferson thrive in the slot? -Concerned or Not Concerned?

Sam Ekstrom, Arif Hasan and Luke Inman discuss the latest with the Minnesota Vikings and the NFL. Topics include: -Dalvin Cook's reported holdout, what it could mean for the Minnesota backfield and what a new contract would look like. -How the Vikings may view National Anthem kneeling in light of the commissioner's recent statement -Candidates for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year based on their gambling odds. -What does the Vikings' 2017 draft class need to do to redeem itself? -Who would win a golf game between the three hosts?

Sam Ekstrom, Arif Hasan and Luke Inman hit the pause button on football talk and discuss the last week in Minneapolis, addressing the death of George Floyd and the local and national response. Here is a link to donate to organizations fighting against racism and police brutality. Aggregated below are a series of studies Arif referenced on racism from a post he published in 2017. Qualified black students were three times less likely to be identified by teachers to be selected for gifted and talented programs. Here's the original resume study. And here’s a followup on the famous resume experiment, this time contextualized in the framework of a black Harvard graduate. Here's one on whether having a black face on a resume impacts callback rates.   Environmental racism is a concept that refers to the idea that race factors into environmental decisions, like where to place polluting factories, which toxic waste spells to clean up and quality of drinking water. These result in an increased prevalence of asthma, in

With Arif Hasan and Luke Inman out, Sam Ekstrom is joined by Purple Insider's Matthew Coller for an hour of Vikings talk. Topics include: -Garrett Bradbury's outlook entering his second year -Adam Thielen's possible bounce-back -Wide receiver depth behind Thielen, and the roles of those depth pieces -Which NFC North quarterbacks will still be around in 2022? -Which Vikings could unexpectedly break out, and which could rapidly decline?