C.J. Stroud said it best. “Football players want to be basketball players, basketball players want to be football players and we all want to be baseball players.” It’s America’s past time.
Ironically, baseball players probably want to be golfers because most of them, at least most Braves players, hit the links quite often. Matt Olson, Collin McHugh, Michael Harris II, and Austin Riley are all notable lovers of golf.
Most recently, Atlanta’s third baseman called out Bryson DeChambeau for his 205 mph ball speed, showing that he could hit 204 mph. It just goes to show how truly elite of athletes these guys are, and Austin Riley made the MLB’s Pro Bowl, along with J.T. Realmuto as the National League’s athlete.
I had two spots left, and with all of the accomplished high school quarterbacks could fill an athlete role, and couldn’t turn down having Realmuto on the team. He and Riley both seem like they’d fit well in a tight end/linebacker role with plenty of arm to fill in at quarterback.
Riley was a prep quarterback before he shifted his focus to baseball for his last two years of high school while still punting for the football team. He was all-state as a punter and had a walk-on offer at Mississippi State (where his father also punted) if he got to campus, but the Braves made sure that didn’t happen. Riley was one of the first two names that came to mind when I began making my teams, and while there’s no kicking game in 7-on-7, I like having that aspect covered.
The Braves have a few different players that could probably strap it up on the gridiron. I’m fully convinced Ronald Acuna Jr. and Michael Harris II are athletic enough to do anything at an extremely high level.
Austin Riley’s athleticism escapes some people, but he’s one of the fastest Braves on the team, in terms of sprint speed. Not to mention he’s an absolute load at 240 pounds. Yeah, he’s outrunning RONALD ACUNA JR. while weighing 35 pounds more than him.
The Braves could probably field their own football, golf, and even bowling team with all of their dual sport athletes.
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