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Aviante Collins: Offensive weapon?

Could the Vikings’ offensive tackle find a larger role as a pass catcher?

NFL: Combine Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

As a part of this week’s theme for the SB Nation NFL blogs, we have a little bit of a different topic, in honor of Oakland Raiders’ offensive lineman Marshall Newhouse pretending that he was a running back for. . .oh, about two seconds in last week’s Sunday Night Football contest.

So, the question has been posed to us. . .which offensive lineman on your team’s roster could actually, potentially, be an offensive skill player?

For the Minnesota Vikings, I’ve decided to go with a guy that hasn’t seen a whole lot of action on the field this season, but has a lot of potential. That player is undrafted free agent Aviante Collins, who was a surprise selection to the 53-man roster out of Training Camp and has managed to keep his spot on the team ever since.

Now, I’m not sure if Collins has ever played a skill position at any level of football, even in high school. Nothing online shows any indication that he has. But I do know that he ran a 4.81 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine this past year, which is pretty impressive speed for a guy that stands 6’6” and weighs 295 pounds. Unfortunately, the only Combine drills he did were the 40-yard dash and the bench press (where he put up 225 pounds an impressive 35 times), so I can’t speak to his leaping ability or anything.

Still, if anything were to happen to any of the Vikings’ current tight ends and the Vikings needed another body for a three tight end formation, perhaps Collins could stand in as the guy.

To be honest, none of the Vikings’ offensive linemen really strike me as a huge threat to take over at one of the offensive skill positions. But of all the ones that are on the roster right now, Collins might have the best opportunity.

Do you think any of the Vikings’ offensive linemen could potentially convert to one of the skill positions?