The Super Bowl airs tonight as the Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots square off on the gridiron. But what about if the two met on the volleyball court? Who would be the best options to play?
Of course, this is all hypothetical and has nothing to do with volleyball skill since we don’t know how good these guys are – and if we’re guessing, there’s probably not much correlation between football and taking a swing or setting a platform to get a dig. But what we do have is athleticism and measurables.
The choices for the Philadelphia Eagles can be seen here. The picks for the New England Patriots can be seen below:
OH – Rob Gronkowski, 6’6″, TE
Gronk may very well be the best player in this fantasy volleyball exhibition. He’s got unbelievable speed and athleticism for a guy his size, and is unbelievably tough. We’ve seen him spike the football in the end zone countless times with gusto – albeit in a different way. If he can combine that power and ferocity into knocking down the ball, watch out.
OH – Kyle Van Noy, 6’3″, LB
Van Noy has solid enough size to match up at the position and a strong vertical. He’s got strong closing speed, which is critical in closing a block too. Plus, he went to BYU, so he was bound to at least pick up a little something about volleyball maybe?
S – Julian Edelman, 5’10” WR
So I cheated. But it wouldn’t be the first time that the Patriots have done so (just a joke; don’t crucify me Patriots fans). Edelman is injured and won’t play in the Super Bowl, but he’d be perfect for this. He’s athletic, he’s quick and he’s smart. Above all, he’s a great competitor and used to be a quarterback in college – so he’s got passing down.
MB – Nate Solder, 6’8″, OT
Among the Patriots and Eagles rosters, Solder is the tallest – and even has that classification by two inches. Being a tackle, he has to be relatively athletic for his size too, so he should have nimble enough feet to get blocks on the pin.
MB – Jacob Hollister, 6’4″, TE
Hollister has a great measurable in his 36.5 inch vertical to pair with an already strong height. Throw in the fact that he’s fleet of foot as a tight end and has solid hands and he should make for a good middle. He’s used to blocking a little too on the football field, so maybe the word blocking will make things easier on the learning curve.
RS – Ryan Allen, 6’1″, P
I know, I chose a punter. Hear me out though. Allen is a lefty, so that’s one positive for him being on the right pin. He’s good with his legs too, so you know he’s your guy for a potential kick save/dig.
L – Rex Burkhead, 5’10”, RB
Burkhead is a fundamentally sound running back who’s got nice quickness and versatility in his game. He’s also a good pass catcher, so should have good hand-eye coordination and the ability to locate and effectively handle the ball.
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