Is Saquon Barkley Already the Best Running Back in the NFL?
Barkley superseded those “lofty expectations” in his rookie season. But is he already the cream of the running back crop?
Saquon Barkley came into the NFL with high expectations. He was said to be the “best running back prospect since Adrian Peterson.” Everyone knew Barkley would be good his rookie year, but nobody could have predicted this. The Penn State alum led the league in scrimmage yards as a 21-year-old rookie. After the epic first year from Barkley, it brings up an interesting question. Is Saquon Barkley already the best running back in the NFL?
Appreciating Greatness
Despite Barkley’s impressive rookie year, he fell just short of an All-Pro birth; an honor that is amongst the highest for any NFL player. But that shouldn’t take away from how good Barkley was his debut year in New York.
Barkley put up 1,307 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground while averaging an elite 5.0 Yards Per Carry (YPC). He was second amongst all running backs with 91 receptions, which also placed him as the 13th highest amongst all players in that category (including wide receivers and tight ends). Barkley was a steady force catching the ball. He converted those 91 receptions into 721 total yards, fifth best among running backs.
And as mentioned before, Barkley led the entire league with 2,028 yards from scrimmage. His 15 total touchdowns were good for third highest in the NFL. But perhaps the most impressive and mind-boggling thing is that Saquon Barkley didn’t fumble once on 352 touches. It’s difficult for any running back to accomplish all these things, but what it makes impressive is that fact that he did all of this at just 21 years old.
The Crazy Thing Is…
Now here’s the kicker. Saquon Barkley also did all of this behind one of the worst offensive lines in the entire league, while being paired up with one of the least effective quarterbacks of 2018. The former Super Bowl-winning Eli Manning is part of an ancient mold of quarterbacks that are diminishing in number. The “immobile quarterback” was great in his heyday, but lack of athleticism has spelled his doom.
It’s a genuine question to ask, but how good would Saquon Barkley be if he was on the St. Louis Rams, behind that offensive line, in Sean McVay’s system? Or how about in Kansas City with Andy Reid? Even placing him with NFC East rival, the Philadelphia Eagles and Doug Pederson is an enticing thought.
Barkley was the focal point of the Giants, and defenses knew that. Even with opposing teams honing in on him, he still managed to torch them. But to anyone watching a Giants game, it was quickly apparent. Barkley would get bottled up for gains of 1, 3, -1 yards, then suddenly he’d explode for a 68-yard touchdown. To no fault of his own, the running lanes often weren’t there for Barkley. But still he was resilient, and always kept fighting.
So What Makes Him Special?
You know the narratives: “A can’t-miss prospect” and/or “He’s going to change this franchise.” In 2018, Barkley showed us why scouts spoke so highly of him. The thing about him is, he’s not only an excellent rusher who knows how to navigate through holes, but he’s also eye candy.
The explosiveness is well documented. The Penn State product has top tier athleticism, but it’s more than just straight-line speed. The burst, quickness, balance, and vision are what make him great, but the thing that makes him truly unique is his strength. Barkley is one of the most elusive backs in the league, but he’s also got the power to push through the pile and pick up those extra yards. He’s really the total package. He’s a patient runner who can grind out those yards to keep the chains moving, but he’s a big play threat every time he touches the ball and is a true weapon as a receiver. Like Le’Veon Bell or Christian McCaffery, you can split him out wide and create mismatches in the passing game. Or you can just run him out of the backfield on screens and wheel routes. And he’s fantastic in pass protection.
Saquon Barkley gives you it all. He’s got all the traits of a 3-down back. He had 16 plays of 20+ yards and 7 plays of 40+ yards, both were easily highest in the league. He’s an All-World talent that stands at 6’0”, 234 pounds and his 4.40 40 time puts him in a class of his own. He is a generational talent, and he should be treated as such.
Now Get Ready For 2019
Giants head coach Pat Shurmur is no slack, but when you’re handed that offensive line it makes everything tough. And it’s hard to criticize Eli Manning, but it seems his best days are behind him. And the Giants obviously agree, by taking Daniel Jones with the 6th overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft.
While Jones has come under a lot of scrutiny, there’s one thing he’ll always have over Eli Manning… his legs. The biggest problem with Manning is his inability to scramble and extend the play. Jones is coming into the draft as one of the best athletes at the quarterback position. His ability to rush will surely open up holes for Barkley.
And it’s not just a nuance, with age comes more maturity. While Barkley is patient, he showed his youth often attempting to break contain instead of just hitting the hole hard. With another offseason under his belt, he will start to understand situations better and come out even stronger as a sophomore.
With the trade for Top 5 guard Kevin Zeitler onto a much-improved Giants offensive line, New York is really looking to help out Barkley. It can only go up from here. Barkley will only get better, and Giants fans will stop questioning if “we should have taken a quarterback.”
Is Saquon Barkley already the best? I’ll let you decide.
All statistics courtesy of Pro Football Reference.
