Possibly short on star power but a stacked class at several positions.

That's the early consensus from some media members on the 2025 NFL Draft, which leaves room for ascension on teams' draft boards for the 300-plus prospects invited to Indianapolis this week to partake in interviews, testing and position workouts.

While players with major intrigue such as Abdul Carter, Ashton Jeanty and Shedeur Sanders have bowed out of the on-field portion of the NFL Combine, there's hundreds of athletes preparing to put on a show.

Some are All-Americans and national champions. There are top players from powerhouse programs and big fishes from smaller ponds. One thing in common: They're each believed to possess some level of pro potential.

You may not know their names yet, but dynamic combine performances have tended to change that.

Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz of USA TODAY on Thursday revealed 10 “sleepers” to watch at the NFL Scouting Combine, which begins televised workouts with defensive linemen and linebackers at 2 p.m. (CT).

One day ago, Middlehurst-Schwartz projected Alabama guard Tyler Booker to the Vikings at No. 24 in his latest first-round mock, labeling Booker a "sensible option to address the team's long-standing issues up front." He also noted Minnesota is a strong candidate to trade down if it's able to find a willing partner.

Because the Vikings own just three picks (they're awaiting a compensatory selection to account for Kirk Cousins' departure in free agency last year) in the annual April event, it's a wise exercise to start familiarizing with "sleepers" – players that might be available when they pick twice in the fifth round.

Here's Middlehurst-Schwartz's list, with snippets on players that could garner sincere Vikings interest based on primary positional needs: interior offensive line, defensive line, secondary and running back.

• QB Tyler Shough, Louisville
• RB Jaydon Blue, Texas

Middlehurst-Schwartz on Blue: As part of a loaded Longhorns backfield, Blue only logged 214 carries in three years, even after taking on a leading role last season. But that was more than enough for him to demonstrate his breakaway straight-line speed. The former track standout ran an official 10.7 100-meter in high school but says he topped out at 10.2. The 6-foot, 200-pounder will put his speed to the test in the 40, and a top time could help him stand out as a potential big-play threat, both as a runner and receiver.

• RB Marcus Yarns, Delaware

Middlehurst-Schwartz on Yarns: After racking up 29 touchdowns in the last two years with the Blue Hens, Yarns demonstrated at the Senior Bowl he's up to the task of hanging with a higher level of competition. The 5-foot-10, 189-pounder now has the chance to set himself apart from his more highly touted peers as a potential third-down back who can create mismatches against linebackers in the passing game. He's a strong candidate to post one of the better 40-yard dash times and should also fare well in drills that highlight his explosiveness.

One extra thought: NFL Network analyst Charles Davis brought Yarns to our attention Wednesday in a conversation with Vikings Entertainment Network's Tatum Everett. Davis was enamored by Yarns at the Senior Bowl and said, "I couldn't take my eyes off him." Yarns averaged 6.4 yards per rush at Delaware.

• WR Kyle Williams, Washington State
• WR Da'Quan Felton, Virginia Tech
• T Charles Grant, William & Mary

Middlehurst-Schwartz on Grant: The wrestling-to-offensive-line pipeline continues to run strong with Grant, who was an all-state wrestler at 220 pounds in high school. Now standing 6-foot-4 and 300 pounds with a massive wingspan, he's a two-time All-American who should be one of the first Football Championship Subdivision prospects off the board. Grant shouldn't have trouble showing he can get on the move, which should help him in case some teams view him as a guard.

One extra thought: Pro Football Focus draft analyst Trevor Sikkema told Everett there's numerous college tackles in this year's draft who are contenders to slide inside – and play guard or center – as pros.

• DE Bradyn Swinson, LSU
• LB Eugene Asante, Auburn
• CB Darien Porter, Iowa State

Middlehurst-Schwartz on Porter: Not often you find a 6-foot-2, 197-pound cornerback who was a high school state record-setter in the 400 meters. It's even more rare that a defensive back with an elite level of linear athleticism is also fluid enough to be a standout in man coverage while adding ample ball skills from his earlier days as a receiver. Yet Porter manages to put all that together in what might be one of the most impressive sets of physical tools in this year's class. A sixth-year senior who didn't start until 2024, Porter is a late bloomer who still can be shaken by craftier receivers. But his immense upside should be evident through his workout and testing marks.

• CB Tommi Hill, Nebraska

Middlehurst-Schwartz on Hill: Another former receiver who switched sides in college, Hill saw what should have been a breakout 2024 campaign derailed by plantar fasciitis. If the 6-foot, 205-pounder is fully recovered, he has a shot to be among the leaders in the vertical leap, broad jump and 40-yard dash. For teams that rely heavily on zone coverage and are in search of a sure tackler with superlative ball skills, Hill could have plenty of appeal.

One extra thought: Zone coverage? Sure tackler? Music to Vikings Defensive Coordinator Brian Flores' ears.

Defensive line emerging as priority

At the top of this article we referenced a stacked draft class at several positions.

Three or more different running backs have been floated as possible first-rounders. There's a phonebook-thick crop of cornerbacks, and media pundits are jacked up about the defensive line depth.

Alec Lewis of The Athletic on Thursday expanded on why Minnesota is evaluating the latter as an option with its top selection: "The Vikings are going to have the chance to do what they have not done in more than a decade: use a premium pick on a player who makes a difference to the entire defense."

In his article, Lewis reminds us what's made Minnesota's defense such a force:

Blitzers engulf the quarterback from everywhere. Defensive backs drop from all sorts of positions into varied zones. The Minnesota Vikings have benefited from all the mayhem for two seasons now, and folks throughout the NFL aren't afraid to shower what Flores has done with praise. One NFC evaluator at the NFL Scouting Combine raved about how important Flores' defense was to the Vikings' success this season. Another NFC executive mentioned that his team wanted to interview Vikings defensive pass game coordinator Daronte Jones partly because of his experience with Flores' blitz packages. The perception around Flores is justified. The Vikings have led the NFL in blitz rate over the last two seasons. They have used a four-man pass rush at the lowest rate in the NFL. Is this Flores' philosophy? Kind of. He wants to smother quarterbacks and stress pass-protection units. Bringing more than four pass rushers helps that pursuit, but it's also necessary when a four-man pass rush is not good enough.

The judgement Lewis arrived at is that Minnesota's four-man pass rush needs a jolt in the middle.

Flores has previously described his evaluation tactic for defensive linemen as seeking "big guys who move like little guys." In other words, he wants players who are large enough to clog the gaps against the run but explosive and crafty enough to wiggle their way into the backfield. There aren't typically many of these prospects available, and most of the key contributors fly off the board in the first round.

Along this line of thinking, it'd be smart for Minnesota to stand pat at 24 and snatch a DL bully.

Lewis recommended Michigan's Mason Graham (a longshot as Lewis predicts he'll be long gone by the time the Vikings are on the clock) and fellow Wolverine Kenneth Grant, as well as Oregon's Derrick Harmon, Ole Miss' Walter Nolen, South Carolina's T.J. Sanders and Toledo's Darius Alexander.

Lewis wrote in conclusion: The Vikings haven't selected this type of player in the first round since 2013, and Sharrif Floyd played four seasons before undergoing career-ending surgery. They have tried to fill the void through the years. Linval Joseph played exceptionally under Mike Zimmer. Dalvin Tomlinson produced admirably in 2021 and '22. Since then, Minnesota has thrown darts on late-rounders Esezi Otomewo and Jaquelin Roy. Neither remains with the organization. Free-agent signing Jalen Redmond was a revelation in 2024, but the Vikings could still benefit wildly from a bona fide difference-maker.

Read Lewis' full article here before d-line prospects run through a gauntlet of drills Thursday afternoon.