5 Late-Round Sleepers Who Would Be Perfect for Minnesota Vikings

Late-round picks in the 2015 NFL draft will help the Minnesota Vikings fill out the depths of their roster in order to continue building a complete team from top to bottom. Finding the sleepers is the trick.

Minnesota has found success in late picks recently. The team's two best offensive linemen, John Sullivan and Brandon Fusco, were each sixth-round selections. Others like Everson Griffen, Jarius Wright, Rhett Ellison and Blair Walsh turned into big-time contributors after being taken in the fourth round or later.

Come draft day, the Vikings will have their board filled out with candidates to become the next late-round pick to turn into a vital part of the team.

Let's take a look at five players who figured to slide for a variety of reasons but could be just what Minnesota is looking for in a sleeper who can hold his own in camp from the outset and eventually fight for a starting job.

Karlos Williams, Florida State

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Florida State's big, bruising running back entered his senior season with all kinds of fanfare but failed to live up to the palpable hype.

For a majority of the Seminoles' 2014 campaign, Karlos Williams was outperformed by freshman back Dalvin Cook. The effectiveness of the two as early-down runners was hardly comparable. Williams' indecisiveness as a runner and lack of nuanced skills left far too many yards on the field.

That failing as a traditional No. 1 back will turn teams away. Williams finally got his shot to prove himself in 2014, and he failed.

Williams still possesses specialized skills that make him a natural fit in Minnesota. First of all, he's quite big, measuring in at 6'1" and 225 pounds. He can be effective in short yardage. Most of all though, Williams is surprisingly effective as a receiver. His size and strength will pay dividends in pass protection too.

With such a talented crops of running backs this year, Williams will fall. He makes sense for Minnesota on a late-round flier.

Austin Hill, Arizona

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Arizona wide receiver Austin Hill looked like a future first-round pick in 2012, racking up over 1,300 yards and 11 touchdowns. Then he tore his ACL, missed the entire 2013 season and never regained his form in 2014.

Medical examinations will be his first hurdle. Teams like the Vikings will be on the lookout for structural damage, degeneration and other indicators that health could be an issue moving forward.

If all comes back clean, a stab at a talented receiver like Hill makes sense. At 6'2" and 210 pounds, he matches the physical description of what Minnesota is looking for. He plays that big too. In his heyday back in 2012, Hill caught almost anything thrown in his vicinity.

Now he is looking to pick up the pieces after a two-year stretch that did not go according to plan. If an early-round selection is not in the cards for the Vikings at receiver, making an investment later on in a prospect like Hill seems wise.

Christian Covington, Rice

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Minnesota will aim to get deeper on the defensive line, especially if Tom Johnson does not return for the 2015 season.

Rice defensive tackle Christian Covington fits the bill. Dane Brugler of CBS Sports described why Covington could become an effective defensive tackle in the NFL:

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The British Columbia native lined up mostly as a one-technique defensive tackle for the Owls last season and on tape he compared very favorably to Timmy Jernigan, who was a second round pick this past May. Covington is a quick, upfield penetrator who stays light on his feet with the fluid hips, natural flexibility and easy movement skills to attack gaps and disrupt the backfield.

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Like Hill, injury may lead to a slide for Covington, despite showing high-end talent at one point. His final season at Rice was cut short by surgery for a dislocated knee cap, per Joseph Duarte of the Houston Chronicle.

Covington may require a redshirt season. He may not. That much will be up to team doctors, but he certainly possesses traits worth taking a shot on.

Stephone Anthony, Clemson

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The late rounds are the perfect place to find help at linebacker. Third-day picks like Telvin Smith and Avery Williamson were absolute steals for the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tennessee Titans respectively in 2014. Both contributed immediately as rookies.

Clemson outside linebacker Stephone Anthony could fall into the same category this time around. Bleacher Report's Ian Wharton describes what he saw in Anthony at the Senior Bowl:

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Stephone Anthony has shown he's a legit 3-down linebacker this week. Good downhill run filler and has the ability to work in coverage

— Ian Wharton (@NFLFilmStudy) January 22, 2015"

Those multidimensional skills are important. A linebacker who adds value on all downs is far more valuable than a two-down thumper.

Anthony would add more competition at to a corps that already needs it. If an early-round pick at LB does not come to fruition, the Vikings could even make multiple late-round shots at one. Anthony should be considered.

Erick Dargan, Oregon

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Oregon's Erick Dargan could be a perfect fit to add more competition among the safety ranks.

Dargan came up big for the Ducks in many crucial spots in 2014, leading the Pac-12 with five interceptions. When opposing quarterbacks floated passes or threw late, Dargan's quick reactions and smart positioning led him to the ball more often than not.

He also has the size Minnesota will be looking for, measuring in at 5'11" and 217 pounds. The thick build and overall strength help Dargan as a tackler. He is the type of safety who could solidify a defense in the alleys, something the Vikings will be looking for in a strong safety.

Any late-round pick at the safety position will be brought in to compete with the likes of Robert Blanton and Andrew Sendejo. Dargan could hold his own.

Statistics via ESPN.com. Heights and weights via CBSSports.com.