2015 Draft Sleepers Who'd Fit Perfectly with the Minnesota Vikings

Focusing on the first round (or two) of the 2015 NFL draft can be stultifying, but fans of the Minnesota Vikings would be well-served to take a look at some of the draft sleepers coming through the ranks this year, perhaps with an eye to grabbing key special teams players or quality depth.

Naturally, not all sleepers pan out, but looking for players that fit the mold is a good start. We'll look at players on offense and defense that seem to fit the schematic requirements of head coach Mike Zimmer and offensive coordinator Norv Turner, both through analysis of the players on tape and what look to be workout requirements for each position.

Those combine benchmarks may not be ironclad, but they'll be a good guide when digging through late-round prospects to see whom the Vikings may have their eyes on. In order to be comprehensive, we'll look at each position of assumed need or uncertainty, including defensive end, linebacker, safety, cornerback, offensive tackle, offensive guard and wide receiver.

Running back may end up becoming a need, but none of the running backs going late will really meet the general criteria the Vikings have used in the recent past—which isn't to say they won't pick one, merely that the late ones do not fit their rough profile. Expect players like Zach Zenner or David Johnson to be on their radar.

We'll try not to cover ground we've already covered, but it's worth looking through some of the early pro days for players the Vikings shouldn't miss, either.

Defensive End: Geneo Grissom, Oklahoma

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A 3-4 outside linebacker for the Oklahoma Sooners this last year, Geneo Grissom has seen a position change every year he's been in Norman.

Through his four years there, he's played in both one-gap and two-gap defenses, playing inside as a pass-rushing defensive end at 5-technique (like J.J. Watt for the Houston Texans) as well as a two-gapping run-stuffing end (like Muhammad Wilkerson for the New York Jets).

He's played as a 3-technique defensive tackle—where he had two sacks against Alabama in the Sugar Bowl—and as a nose tackle.

Grissom has been a tight end, too.

Some of this is no one's fault, like the coaching staff change that led to Mike Stoops taking over the defense after Brent Venables didn't want to share the coordinator title or duties at Oklahoma. That change in scheme led to different fronts and responsibilities, and Grissom gradually gained weight in order to meet those demands.

Some of his movement around different positions has to do with Grissom taking more time than coaches liked in order to learn his roles. Still, it's notable he worked his way up to starter after being converted to tight end and starting at the bottom of the depth chart.

Either way, his weaknesses are less important to a Zimmer defense than others, and his strengths match perfectly.

An athletic ball of potential waiting to be molded, he would fall in line with the athletic wunderkinds Zimmer likes to work with—not just Everson Griffen and Brian Robison, but underrated athlete Scott Crichton.

In Cincinnati, Zimmer oversaw a defense that drafted Margus Hunt, Michael Johnson and Carlos Dunlap—who, with 4.61-second 40-yard dashes at their pro days, ran much faster than players their size normally do. Though Grissom's 40-yard dash time is much slower than theirs at 4.81 seconds, his 10-yard split (1.62 seconds, per NFLDraftScout.com) is as fast, if not faster—something the Vikings have valued in the past year.

Beyond that, his three-cone of 7.24 seconds is well within the range Minnesota has looked for.

Though he plays a little stiff and relies more on explosiveness than bending around the edge, he sets the run reasonably well for a raw player and shows a lot of power at the point of attack. With all that comes very fast on-field speed with spectacular closing ability and good tackling form in tight spaces.

Not particularly good breaking down tackles in the open field or changing directions, his biggest issues aren't his stiffness, but injury. Though injuries in spring practices (he had stress fractures in his foot twice, once in 2010 and once in 2012, per Nolan Nawrocki in his NFL Draft 2015 Preview) may raise some minor flags, it's the MCL injury he suffered late this last year that might drop him out of the first two days of the draft.

Even with that injury, he's a raw player who not only needs to learn pass-rushing technique, but ideally gain a little more weight for the position. Though he weighed in at 262 pounds at the combine (and with room to grow), Zimmer preferred defensive ends over 265 pounds in Cincinnati.

Minnesota this last year acquired either through the draft or free agency seven defensive ends, and they averaged 262 pounds in their predraft weigh-ins, so it's not a lost cause. However, the most capital spent by the Vikings was for Scott Crichton (273 pounds) and Corey Wootton (270 pounds).

His experience in coverage (and playmaking ability—both of his interceptions were returned for touchdowns) will help within the confines of the scheme—defensive ends tend to drop in coverage much more in this defense, and he can read the quarterback pretty well in zones.

Historically, Zimmer defensive ends are more explosive than they are stiff, and that fits the athletic profile of the underdeveloped but athletically intriguing Geneo Grissom.

Linebacker: Jordan Hicks, Texas

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Jordan Hicks, a player projected to go in the 4th or 5th round by NFL.com, perfectly matches the profile of a backup linebacker capable of special teams for the Minnesota Vikings.

Player	Height	Weight	40-yard dash	20-yard split	10-yard split	Vertical Leap	Broad Jump	Short Shuttle	3 Cone
Jordan Hicks	6'1 3/8"	236	4.68	2.67	1.58	38"	10'4"	4.15	6.78
Justin Anderson	6'1 1/2"	235	4.68	2.60	1.60	37"	10'1"	4.29	6.89
Josh Kaddu	6'3"	239	4.67			34"	10'3"

All values in the table above from NFLDraftScout.com.

In addition to those two other linebackers the Vikings have acquired in the past year, Anthony Barr posted similar numbers, but at 255 pounds (part of what makes him an athletic phenom) his and Brandon Watts' scores are very similar, except with a faster 40-yard dash (at 4.41 seconds).

Either way, Hicks fits the profile of the kind of player the Vikings may want to select, at least from an athletic standpoint. What's more, Hicks' athleticism may not be well represented by his combine scores because he has been slowed down by injuries throughout his career, particularly a hamstring injury in the spring of 2014 he never fully recovered from. In addition, he's suffered a hip flexor injury as well as ankle and foot injuries.

While that kind of injury history is worrisome, he did put in a full year in 2014 and was Texas' leading tackler, and his athleticism score (referenced in a piece about Stephone Anthony) is very good.

He didn't play to those numbers at Texas in 2014, though he showed much more speed in 2013 and 2012 despite those earlier injuries—likely the consequence of recovery time.

A high-character player known for his on-field leadership and intelligence, Hicks is known to spend extra time in the film room. He's a hard competitor and shows up with a lot of energy.

While his instincts are generally alright, he can be fooled by misdirection and play-action (an even bigger issue in the Big 12) but has a nose for the ball and showed speed to get to the perimeter and corral running backs.

His physicality has been wanting and he'd rather go around blocks than through them, but he was coached through those issues during Senior Bowl practices and the game itself. Matt Miller called him the most impressive linebacker there.

That doesn't mean the problem is fixed, but it does mean he's willing to attempt to change his playing style to fit his coaching. Given NFL.com's Lance Zierlein noticed an uptick in discipline and technique in his final year under a new coaching staff, this looks to be more a trend than an anomaly.

In coverage, he's very good in man-to-man but does have problems in zone coverage, all of which may stem from his narrow field awareness issues that also lead to occasionally slow diagnosis and proneness to misdirection.

In games, his preference for tackling at the hips rather than through them caused problems, but he was still a solid player for the team and a special teams standout.

In order to make the squad in Minnesota, he'll have to prove himself on special teams first, and that's where he excelled. As a fifth-round pick, he wouldn't just be an excellent special-teams addition, but a solid backup.

Cornerback: Darryl Roberts, Marshall

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If there's one set of combine metrics the Vikings love, it's speed. Not only are their linebackers fast, their cornerbacks are, too. It's not just Josh Robinson, either.

The 2014 acquisitions of Captain Munnerlyn, Derek Cox, Kendall James, Demarcus Van Dyke and Chris Greenwood all ran a 4.41-second 40-yard dash or faster (though Munnerlyn had to do it at his pro day, per NFLDraftScout.com). The 2015 acquisition (from the CFL) of Jalil Carter ran a 4.38-second 40-yard dash.

Throw in Xavier Rhodes (4.43 seconds) and Marcus Sherels (4.37 seconds) and you have a recipe for one of the fastest secondaries in the NFL.

Though this may lead you to think about Trae Waynes, it's also pertinent to look to Darryl Roberts from Marshall, who didn't just post a 4.36-second 40-yard dash (indoor), but also put up a 39" vertical leap and a 133" broad jump. With a 4.06-second short-shuttle and 6.66-second three-cone, Roberts may be one of the most athletic players drafted, even after accounting for his 187-pound frame.

While that kind of weight can be an issue for a first-round draft pick, for a special-teams player that's not a big problem. It's true Roberts will have to add weight once joining the roster, but he has athleticism to spare and the frame to do it.

In addition, he's more than just his combine scores. The folks at Pro Football Focus love him, and had this to say:

"

If you listened to our Podcast breaking down the cornerback class, you’ll know that this is a guy that Sam Monson really likes. It’s easy to see why too, with Roberts showing an ability to handle anything the coaches asked of him. On top of that he showed great balance and reactions, reading moves by wide receivers very quickly.

If there is a concern here, it would be that I would like to see him attack the ball more on deep passes, instead of waiting for the receiver come down with the ball before trying to rip it free. He’ll see plenty of physical wide receivers on Sundays in the NFL, so he’ll need to be ready to adapt his game to handle that.

Signature Stat: Allowed 0.88 Yards Per Coverage Snap.

"

Roberts has visited the Philadelphia Eagles, Indianapolis Colts, Kansas City Chiefs, San Francisco 49ers and Green Bay Packers.

In what's becoming a common theme for this list, his biggest issue is injury. A broken leg before the 2012 season was a big setback, but he's been tenacious since then. He's fluid and athletic on the field and does a good job tracking the ball in the air.

He's smart about coverages, and he knows how to use the help around him when he has it in order to squeeze receivers and create small windows, and plays with great field awareness. He ends up with his hands on the ball a lot in coverage, too.

His frame belies his strength, and he can jolt even larger receivers at the line of scrimmage in press coverage. He does have issues maintaining that strength throughout the route and he'll get muscled out at the catch point, but his timing does give him a small advantage. He'll need to spend time in the weight room regardless.

Roberts' balance has improved significantly this past year, his change-of-direction skills have allowed him to stay in the pocket of opposing receivers and his click-and-close ability is among the best in the class. His ability to read the offense makes him dangerous on any down, and he loves to stick it in the run game (though again, he's not always successful).

Following receivers across the field is a strength of his, and his processing ability is quick enough to be better than most backups.

He's been very involved in special teams at Marshall and has shown excellent effort on the field goal and punt units.

Given the schematic requirements of a Mike Zimmer defense, he'd be a fantastic fit.

Safety: Adrian Amos, Penn State

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With a very good combine performance followed by an astounding pro day, Amos is not just one of the most athletic safeties in the class, but one of the more versatile ones.

His issues with open-field tackling won't make him nearly the special-teams prospect others on this list are, but everything else he has is well worth examining (and being a former kick returner might mean different special teams duties).

The key to his versatility (having played free safety, outside corner and slot corner) is not just his outstanding athleticism, but incredible football smarts. While some players are good in the film room and others are good with their instincts on the field, Amos is an intriguing combination of both.

He is quick to diagnose the offense and the play around him, and he doesn't hesitate to react. His range as a safety is extraordinary and that kind of range is extremely useful when combined with his recognition ability.

Amos has a reputation for not being that physical, but there are a lot of instances of his willingness to stick it to runners, and his smart (and aggressive) angles to the ball are big boons to the defense. Given a highlight reel of big hits, it may not be about physicality as much as technique.

The Penn State prospect leads with the shoulder too often and lassos tackles instead of drives through them.

His ability to find the ball and put his hands on it (often demonstrating fantastic body control and timing) is well worth that problem, and that versatility Amos has is critical for the Vikings defense, which leverages the many responsibilities of its safeties to create confusing blitz packages and sound back-end coverage.

Tackle: Daryl Williams, Oklahoma

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The Vikings have two models at offensive tackle: sleek and agile (Mike Remmers, 300 pounds with a 7.36-second three cone, and Pierce Burton, 303 pounds with a 7.53-second three cone, were both acquired last year) or big, long and powerful (Antonio Richardson, Matt Hall and J'Marcus Webb average 329 pounds, and Babatunde Aiyegbusi is 351 pounds. All of them have arms longer than 34").

Daryl Williams is the latter.

That's not to say he's unathletic, he's just not winning a lot of races any time soon.

With 35" arms and a massive frame, Williams has been compared to Phil Loadholt, though the fact they wore the same number at Oklahoma helps drive those comparisons.

Still, it's not an entirely unreasonable comparison. Tall for a tackle (like Loadholt, but not quite to that extreme), Williams' best feature is his outstanding strength and willingness to use it.

Williams is a player who relishes run blocking because he likes to punish defensive linemen, and that kind of enthusiasm translates to the rest of the team as well. Known for his leadership and work ethic, one scout told Nawrocki in his NFL Draft 2015 Preview:

"

He is the bell cow of that offensive line. he is the most likely to be successful. I like the way he is wired. He is not a great athlete, but he is tough. He might have to move to guard. He won't be drafted highly, but he will stick in the league. He has exceptionally high character.

"

The massive Sooner is known for his intelligence as well, and adapts well to the schemes and game around him. Not only does he time his kick-slides well, he's savvy enough to read the play and pre-empt counters.

His patience is rare for a player with as much drive as him, and that allows him to blanket even faster edge-rushers despite his limited foot quickness. Though he doesn't block as well on the second level, he understands blocking angles and his balance allows him to remain in plays.

That balance isn't always there, though, and he needs to work on more consistent footwork as he often leaves his feet behind him when he moves in space. He is a little late off the snap, though that could be a way to intentionally read the player he's blocking.

The versatile lineman needs to improve the timing of his punch and use his length for more than just recovery, but he's a solid prospect to be found in the later rounds. Given that the Vikings met with him at the Oklahoma pro day, the fit seems too perfect.

Guard: Jarvis Harrison, Texas A&M

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The Vikings may not always care about athleticism at tackle, but they do seem to want late-round athletes at guard. Aside from a well-known preference to pick guards late, they also have a preference for picking guards whose broad jumps exceed 100 inches (8'4") and a three cone of under eight seconds.

Harrison is all that and more, and should be considered a high-end athlete for the position. A player who didn't pick up football until his junior year of high school, the biggest issue with Harrison isn't talent but desire. His first love is basketball (per Nawrocki's draft guide) and his willingness to play football has been a well-documented problem.

Consistently described as a second-round talent, Texas A&M coaches have described him as the most athletic lineman on the roster.

That athleticism has translated onto the field, too. He's filled in at left tackle and performed admirably there, but the money he'll make at guard is very appealing. Harrison plays with a lot of quickness and his movement skills are impressive, blocking on the second level better than most of the guards getting early-round consideration this year, including Laken Tomlinson and A.J. Cann.

His ability to lay the wood against a moving target in space is rare for a player of his size, and when Harrison is on his game, he was potentially one of the best in college football. Playing with intent in the run game, he mauls powerful defensive tackles.

In pass protection he shows smoothness and agility when mirroring quick 3-techniques.

The desire issue would be somewhat academic were it not for the fact that Harrison's game is affected by it. When he's on, he's on. But when he's off, he's a liability. He can be lazy and plays down to his competition, not even standing out among the late-round and UDFA prospects at the NFLPA bowl.

His weight has fluctuated throughout his career, too, and will need to be more closely monitored at the next level.

If Mike Zimmer can turn around players like Vontaze Burfict and Carlos Dunlap, he may be able to do the same with Jarvis Harrison.

Receiver: Kenny Bell

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A favorite of Rookie Scouting Portfolio author and phenomenal talent evaluator Matt Waldman,receiver Kenny Bell from Nebraska could end up being the best receiver picked in the middle rounds, especially if he finds himself in an offense in dire need of his skills.

Despite an excellent combine, Kenny Bell's performance went well under the radar. With a 4.42-second 40-yard dash at the combine and a 4.38-second dash at his pro day (with a 1.47-second 10-yard split!), Bell has more than the requisite speed necessary to play receiver.

But for the Vikings, the model at receiver has little to do with speed and more to do with quickness and explosion. Aside from Charles Johnson, all of the young receiver acquisitions from the Vikings so far have a run a three cone under 7.00 seconds, had a vertical leap of at least 36 inches (except for training camp body Andy Cruse) and a broad jump of at least 9'11".

Bell demolishes those numbers with a 6.66 three cone, 41.5" vertical and 10'9" broad jump. That's a faster three cone than any other receiver on the roster and a broad jump equal to Mike Wallace's. The vertical would also be the second-highest of not just any receiver on the roster, but any player.

Despite that, Kenny Bell doesn't carry a reputation for athleticism.

Part of that has to do with his play, which isn't as fast as his timed speed (though it's certainly not slow) and part of it has to do with the mediocre production that comes with being a Nebraska receiver.

Bell's lean frame and issues with getting muscled out of routes gave rise to questions about his strength, and he didn't answer the call with only seven bench reps, which could be the biggest reason he falls. He's a very willing competitor and tough player who excels at blocking, however, so the functional strength is there (to some degree).

Every scouting report on Bell will mention not just his high football IQ, but his personality—mature and outspoken. Known as a locker room leader, Bell also led Nebraska in receiving yards for four straight years. Of course, for the Cornhuskers that only meant 2.689 total yards, which is part of the reason he doesn't get much attention.

But if production matters, it's not raw totals, but market share that's more predictive of NFL success. Though Bell's production in that light (30.2 percent of the teams' receiving yards) isn't elite, it's very good and meets the expectations of 22-year-old receivers in college who turned out to be impactful in the NFL.

Beyond that, his on-field skills translate. Though there are worries about play strength (and he's stronger than his reputation would suggest), Bell's ability to beat press coverage (though inconsistent) shows sophisticated technique at the release and should let him run free.

Aside from that, he's very good at finding the soft spot in zones and sitting where he needs to in order for the quarterback to find him away from defenders. His route-running is excellent, with sharp cuts paired with explosion that comes from solid technique, like proper footwork and sinking his hips.

On special teams, he's a very good tackler with a solid understanding of angles. He works at every aspect of special teams play, and was a high-level returner for Nebraska as well as a good blocker.

His character will make him a favorite, but he'll need to bulk up to stay on the roster. If he can do that (and there's reason to believe he can't, which is why he isn't projected to go early) or at least improve his play strength, he'll be a solid contributor for some time, even if it's only as a special teams maven.

Pro-day results courtesy of NFLDraftScout.com.