When you consider the fact that the New York Giants passed over several potential franchise quarterbacks to grab Saquon Barkley with the No.2 overall pick, you have to wonder..why? Were his thigh-sized calves enough to sway your opinion, or was it ability to stop on a dime and reach his top speed in two steps. Maybe it was his massive upper body, the same body that currently holds every weight lifting record in the history of running backs at Penn State.
Barkley is a freak of nature, a bulldozer with the speed and agility of a cheetah. His vision on the field is next to none. The truth is, his tangible skills on the scratch the surface of his potential and characteristics. Barkley is a leader, a man that can step in a room and draw everybody’s attention, for the right reasons. His work ethic, positive mentality, and confidence in his teammates is simply contagious. His aura is one of maturity and humbleness.
How has Saquon Barkley looked on the field so far in 2018?
We all knew what the Giants were getting from the running back after seeing him annihilate teams at the collegiate level. Barkley has not disappointed, amassing an astonishing 519 rushing yards, 497 receiving yards, and seven total touchdowns. The young back has already surpassed 1,000 yards from scrimmage and is on pace to record over 2,000 all-purpose yards. He would be the first running back to do so in their rookie season.
The question I keep asking myself is: In hindsight, was Barkley the right pick over a player like Sam Darnold?
Darnold leads the NFL in interceptions with 14. He has had several impressive starts, but the unfortunate truth is that his inconsistencies and turnover issues have not seemed to improve after leaving USC. The same trends are once again re-surfacing. Now, I believe that the Jets simply aren’t developing him correctly. They should have allowed McGown to start the season and provided Darnold with time to learn behind a veteran. He seems too rushed into things, and often times the way you’re molded as a rookie can make or break you.
Barkley on the other hand entered the league a super-star.
https://twitter.com/Giants/status/1058146674596630533
Watch this mid-season highlight video. It shows a player that seems to be going into his fifth-year, and not enjoying his rookie season. Barkley is as polished as they come, and the best part about him is that he’s inexperienced. It just means he can only get better.