The NFL is full of talented running backs that have the ability to break open a game at any moment – LeVeon Bell, Ezekiel Elliot, Alvin Kamara… For the New York Giants, it’s Saquon Barkley. The second overall pick in the draft has a heavy load of expectations resting upon his shoulders, yet he doesn’t seem affected by it.
Barkley enters the league at 234-pounds with a sub 4.40 (40 yard-dash). He owns nearly every weight lifting record at Penn State and is ranked No. 2 in most yards in the university’s history. His abilities are world class, and there’s no denying he will continue to develop and cast his skill-set upon the opposing defense.
Why the Giants and Barkley are in a position to succeed:
Adding a generational talent to a team with Odell Beckham Jr., Evan Engram, and Sterling Shepard, only adds to the intimidation of the Giants’ offense. There’s simply not enough defenders to cover each player. It will force linebackers to try and cover Barkley, which as we know, is impossible. When B.J. Goodson and Olivier Vernon were asked to cover the rookie running back, it was simply too much for them to handle.
But when you look at Barkley, what do you see in him? Does he compare to any other back in the league? In my opinion, he most resembles Arizona’s David Johnson, but even better. Johnson has immense agility and power between the tackles. His frame is similar to that of Barkley (6-foot-1, 225-pounds, Johnson) – (6-foot, 234-pounds, Barkley).
The Cardinals back is dangerous in the open field, as he can jump cut on a dime and change direction. Barkley has a similar skill-set but with more speed and quickness. Consider the fact that Johnson had 1,239 rushing yards and 879 receiving yards with 20 total touchdowns in 2016. Those numbers are impressive, but Barkely can mimic those and more.
With several weapons taking the pressure off of him to open up the field, he will be left in the flat against linebackers. Barkley will have a field day, and if you’re a fantasy football player, you should draft Barkley if given the opportunity.