O’Brien Expects Russell Wilson To Keep Playing Two Sports

Baseball General NCS Football8

Russell WilsonThis is hardly a surprise to most of us: Russell Wilson will keep playing both baseball and football for NC State for the foreseeable future.

WRAL: O’Brien expects Wilson to keep playing two sports

“I would expect that [playing both sports], yes. I think that’s what he wants to do. He certainly can help our baseball team.”

“He’s a very smart individual and has made the most of his opportunity as a quarterback,” O’Brien said. “Our chances to win games at the end have been because he’s been efficient with the football and hasn’t turned it over.”

My expectations are that Wilson will eventually declare for the Major League baseball draft and that we will eventually see him playing in the summers professionally for a long time.  “A lot of scouts said Russell could have been taken in the third or fourth round [of the ’07 MLB draft] and were making calls trying to get him to sign,” said NC State baseball coach Elliott Avent. “I have no doubt he’ll make it to the big leagues.”Indeed: in the 2007 draft, Wilson was drafted in the 41st round by the Orioles organization, as a just-in-case pick — as in just-in-case Wilson decided to not play for NC State.  He came to college, of course, and was one game away from the College World Series last spring and is now NC State’s starting QB.  In football, nfldraftscout.com currently ranks Wilson 50th out of 140 QB’s in their assessment of college talent.

Baseball General NCS Football

8 Responses to O’Brien Expects Russell Wilson To Keep Playing Two Sports

  1. Otis 11/06/2008 at 10:42 AM #

    Maybe we can get another season out of him at QB before he goes pro, but I would not expect anymore than that. Hopefully by then Glennon will have put on about 30 pounds of muscle and will be ready to play by then, and maybe (fingers crossed) we will have an O-line capable of protecting a drop back passer.

  2. thekind 11/06/2008 at 10:47 AM #

    RW is a STUD! Things look bright with him at the helm. He is so smart with the football.

  3. SEAT.5.F.2 11/06/2008 at 11:04 AM #

    Such a great sounding individual and the most obvious thing is that he is a super athlete. Maybe Graduating is high on list so two more years is probable. If your the starting QB then your going to keep playing and if your the back up with experience then it’s pretty tempting to stick around and use eligibility.

    That said he’ll be a professional baseball player someday, fact. Avent says that OF will be the aim of getting him into the line up, maybe even some DH too. Pitching and defense is the foundation of his program and he has said that he wants the middle infielders be comfortable with each other meaning the spring practice for football doesn’t offer enough continuity. It will actual benefit him more so that when he gets drafted there will be more opportunities to move up based on team needs, look at BJ Upton going from SS to OF.

    RW will have to move inside 50 on that list for us to win, he is the oil that keeps the offense motor from seizing up. Go Pack.

  4. Greywolf 11/06/2008 at 11:27 AM #

    Can you tell I’m a big TOB fan? Instead of putting pressure on Wilson, he is doing what the student athlete wants. How many football coaches are allowing their players to contribute to a second sport? Before you express those comments about TOB not having a choice, that RW would opt for baseball, let me remind you that 2 football players filled in roster spots on the basketball team Sid’s first year. TOB had a choice with those guys.

    I think some of us are looking through our own eyes when we think RW is going pro just because he can. My take on RW is that his family values a college education. I’m not of the opinion that RW’s family needs him in the pro’s ASAP to provide for necessities. I expect that the Dad knows what being a key player means to his son’s college experience. I know I would not have wanted my son to have been traveling long distances, late at night on a bus with other transient players in the minor leagues.

    While RW is sure to get a shot at the Big Dance, he has no guarantee of ever playing there. It’s a gamble he does not have to take — the gamble that at twenty-five or so, he will be an ex-minor leaguer without having much fun, aside from playing, doing it.

    My money is on RW playing until he graduates. Perhaps not 4 years but through graduation. He didn’t pick NCSU because of his chances of going pro from here. Maybe I’m just seeing the world through MY OWN EYES.

  5. Alpha Wolf 11/06/2008 at 11:50 AM #

    Question is, will RW play both sports or possibly concentrate on baseball 100% of the time. We’ve been down that road, and you have to admit the chance of a QB getting his knee torn up is higher than a basketball player.

  6. redfred2 11/06/2008 at 12:28 PM #

    I’d really love to say something here, but it probably wouldn’t be anything that I haven’t already said before.

  7. GAWolf 11/06/2008 at 12:53 PM #

    I’ve spoken with Avent about RW specifically on several occasions and RW insists on playing both. Amato and Avent had a pretty good understanding about how that would work from the beginning, and it’s good to see TOB is on board, too. There was some concern whether or not TOB would be okay with it as would happen with any coaching change in this type of situation. I can tell that Avent thinks a lot of RW… but honestly EA dotes on all of his guys, and I admire him for it. He genuinely cares about those kids and what’s going to make them happy.

    I was fortunate enough to talk to the team a few weeks ago and I got a peak into how Avent runs his operation. I was thoroughly impressed with how he handles those young men. I was also fortunate enough to spend some time around Coach Tanner years ago and Avent’s style is just different. I can definitely see why guys would want to play for EA. He’s a vivacious character who has an amazing appreciation for the game. The locker room atmosphere is excellent. Avent also very much loves NC State and it’s apparent he’s honored that he has the opportunity to coach here.

  8. WolftownVA81 11/07/2008 at 1:28 PM #

    ^Nice post GAWolf. Enjoyed reading that. Hopefully one day, we can see that same kind of enthusiam and atmosphere in our our sports programs.

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