Saquon Barkley News

While the debate still rages over whether it’s ever worth taking a running back with a top-5 draft pick in the modern NFL, Barkley could hardly have done more to make the case for his position. The second overall pick in 2018 became just the third rookie to eclipse 2,000 scrimmage yards (joining Eric Dickerson and Edgerrin James) while breaking Reggie Bush’s rookie record for catches by a running back. In fact, Barkley’s 91 catches tied Odell Beckham Jr.’s franchise record by a rookie, to say nothing of all the other Giants records he set. His unreal blend of power, elusiveness and wheels (at 21.91 mph Barkley recorded the third-fastest speed of any 2018 rushing TD) makes him the top big-play threat in the league. His seven runs of 40-plus yards were the most since Adrian Peterson had eight in 2012, and Barkley and Randy Moss are the only players in NFL history to score five TDs of 50-plus yards in their debut campaigns. Barkley could see more stacked fronts this season with the team’s quarterback play potentially hitting rock bottom (he faced eight-man fronts on just 23 percent of his carries last season), but an improved offensive line will help mitigate the impact, and the Giants still have a decent receiving corps even without Beckham. The bottom line is simple: in terms of his production floor and ceiling, Barkley can’t be touched.

The second overall pick in the 2018 draft, Barkley follows in the footsteps of Ezekiel Elliott and Leonard Fournette as running backs deemed worthy of top-five selections in recent years. Barkley has the skills to live up to that billing, as his standout career at Penn State was punctuated by frequent highlight-reel performances. Barkley’s speed – a 4.4 40 at the combine – and top-shelf elusiveness and agility make it extremely difficult for defenders once he finds open real estate. At 6-0, 233, Barkley is a load to bring down, and his strong lower body allows him to pick up plenty of yards after contact, though he struggled at times running between the tackles. He also worked hard to turn himself into a three-down back who can help as a receiver and a pass protector, something the Giants needed to prioritize given their aging quarterback and shaky offensive line. The team did remake its line in the offseason, signing Nate Solder and Patrick Omameh as free agents and using a second-round pick on guard Will Hernandez, so Barkley should be able to use his moves to avoid hits two yards past the line of scrimmage instead of two yards behind it. Expect him to see a big workload as the new centerpiece of the Giants offense.