Saquon Barkley

New York Giants: Saquon Barkley Tweets To 2019 NFL Combine Class

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New York Giants running back, Saquon Barkley.

The NFL Combine might be considered pointless to some, but NFL teams including the New York Giants still pay enough attention to it to send scouts each and every year to check out the top prospects leading up to the draft. This year will be no exception, and there’s several players that the Giants will be keeping an eye on, at multiple positions ranging from quarterback to offensive line.

Participating under pressure in front of scouts from the league, of course, can be an overwhelming experience. It’s one that Saquon Barkley went through last year leading up to the draft where he was selected second overall by the Giants, and Barkley is qualified to give advice on the subject to this year’s group of players who are getting ready to experience the same thing.

Barkley delivered this advice over Twitter, reminding players that whether or not they use the combine to their advantage, they have a chance for success. There’s definitely several players that could use the advice that are on the radar of the New York Giants, including two of the players that have been linked the closest to the Giants and the sixth overall draft pick.

Kyler Murray has been speculated a lot about by the fanbase, and there’s reports that Murray is bulking up in preparation for the combine already, in an attempt to go from MLB to NFL size. Dwayne Haskins Jr. is the more popular prediction, though, when it comes to the Giants’ pick and Haskins will also participate in the combine, giving scouts a chance to compare both of the two top quarterback prospects in the draft side by side.

The combine will be worth at least keeping an eye on as it comes up soon, because even if the results from it aren’t the deciding factor in the long run, it is something to do during the offseason and it always helps to know more about the available prospects.

New York Giants: Ex-Running Back Stewart On Saquon Barkley

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Jonathan Stewart didn’t have a good time with the New York Giants. Some predicted Stewart to take the starting job while Saquon Barkley adjusted to the NFL, but things turned out very differently and Barkley became a dominant player while Stewart was put out of the season entirely by injury early on. The Giants didn’t pick up the option on Stewart’s contract, meaning that Stewart will soon be a free agent.

But despite that status, the former Giants and Panthers running back still has some things to say about Saquon Barkley, after having plenty of time to observe Barkley during his rookie year. While talking to WFNZ, Stewart compared Barkley to current Panthers back Christian McCaffrey, claiming that both players are the future of the position.

“You have a guy that everyone overlooks because of whatever the reasons are. He’s put up the numbers, he’s played every single down pretty much this past year, he can do everything on the field. Such as passing, catching, running, running routes, and breaking tackles. And you find those same things in Saquon Barkley. I think these two guys are a staple of what the NFL running back is and what it’s going to become.”

Barkley was involved in the passing game this year in addition to the ground game, finishing the season with 721 receiving yards and 4 touchdowns on top of 1,307 rushing yards. His 5.7 receptions per game was the second most in the league at the running back position, with only McCaffrey finishing with a higher number in that category. It’s also a higher number than some notable receivers registered, including Mike Evans, T.Y. Hilton, and Jarvis Landry.

“The game’s changing, and it’s changing for the good for that position being more involved in the passing game. Seeing guys coming out there running in the slot, running routes like receivers. That’s an important thing that’s needed in the game now from the running back position.”

Barkley was snubbed from the All-Pro teams last season despite finishing second in total rushing yards, but there’s no reason to believe that Barkley can’t compete for that status in 2019 if given some more help in the form of a better offensive line. Surely, pass catching will play a big role if Barkley does achieve even greater success this year.

While Stewart didn’t have a successful season, it’s hard to knock his take on this matter. The league is indeed changing. The versatility of Saquon Barkley only helps the Giants when it comes to adapting to that, and keeping up with the latest trends.

New York Giants: Saquon Barkley Wins Offensive Rookie Of The Year

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New York Giants, Saquon Barkley

After winning the 2018 Pepsi Rookie of the Year on Thursday, Saquon Barkley was awarded twice more on Saturday. Early Saturday afternoon, it was announced that Barkley won the 2018 FedEx Ground Player of the Year award. Saturday evening, the 2019 NFL Honors took place, and Saquon took home an award there, too.

The AP Offensive Rookie of the Year is Saquon Barkley. It was a battle between the number one and number two overall picks in the 2018 NFL Draft. Saquon beat out Baker Mayfield to take home the prestigious Offensive Rookie of the Year award. To win the FedEx award, Barkley beat out fellow running backs Ezekiel Elliot and Todd Gurley.

Baker Mayfield created good competition in the voting for Barkley. But in the end, Saquon won the voting with 26.5 votes, compared to Baker’s 21.5, and Quenton Nelson‘s 2.

Saquon Barkley’s Statistics

Saquon got it done on the ground this year with 1,307 rushing yards and 11 rushing touchdowns. This included an average of 5.0 yards per carry on 261 rushing attempts.

Not only did Saquon get it done on the ground, but he got it done through the air, too. Barkley totaled 2,028 scrimmage yards. His 91 receptions were a rookie running back record, and they amounted to 721 receiving yards and 4 receiving touchdowns.

A Piece Of New York Giants History

Saquon is the second New York Giant to win this award in the last five years. He is the third Giants player to be awarded with a rookie of the year award. Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. won the award in 2014. Odell and Saquon are the only two players in New York Giants franchise history to win Offensive Rookie of the Year. Lawrence Taylor won defensive rookie of the year for the Giants in 1981.

Highlights From The NFL Honors

The NFL Honors even had Beckham Jr. present Barkley the award (along with the beautiful actress Vanessa Hudgens):

Saquon’s rookie year was full of highlights. To commemorate his historic rookie season, the NFL broke down his top 10 plays of the season:

 

New York Giants: Saquon Barkley’s Take On Passing Over Sam Darnold

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New York Giants, Saquon Barkley

The most controversial decision the New York Giants made last year wasn’t one during the season. Rather, that decision came during the offseason when the team passed on Sam Darnold to spend the second overall pick on Saquon Barkley. It looks like the results of that choice were worth it, with Barkley contending for the rushing title until the very end of the season and now winning the AP Rookie of the Year award along with Baker Mayfield.

That won’t stop the decision from being controversial, though, with the Giants only winning five games despite Barkley’s great performances. With Sam Darnold looking good while playing for the Giants’ crosstown rival, the decision to take the top player on the board rather than a quarterback has been criticized. Now, Barkley himself has responded to those criticisms, speaking to the Rapsheet and Friends podcast.

“I know everyone is saying a quarterback should have been taken before me. And you know, they’re not wrong. That’s their opinion. They can have their opinion. But some people believe I should have been taken at that pick. And they’re not wrong, either. They can have that opinion,” said Barkley.

Barkley also stated that at the end of the day, his goal is to have success and not to prove anyone wrong. “It was trying to prove more to myself that the Giants made the right pick.”

It was clear that success was on Barkley’s mind based on his performances last season. The Rookie of the Year award was well deserved, and before winning that award, Barkley finished second in total rushing yards and had the best performance in decades from a rookie running back. Time will tell whether or not the Giants made the right move, but based on the numbers, it’s hard to say at this point that they acted unreasonably by passing on a quarterback.

New York Giants: Saquon Barkley Wins 2018 Pepsi Rookie Of The Year

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New York Giants, Saquon Barkley

After already winning the PFWA Offensive Rookie of the Year award, New York Giants’ running back Saquon Barkley has added another trophy to his collection. Fans across the country voted for the Pepsi Rookie Of The Year, and the Giants’ rookie won the voting. Saquon beat out other great talents, such as Baker Mayfield, Nick Chubb, Darius Leonard, and Phillip Lindsay.

It should come as no surprise the Saquon won this award. Barkley was the third running back in NFL history to total 2,000 scrimmage yards as a rookie. With this feat, the rookie from Penn State joined the elite company of Eric Dickerson and Edgerrin James.

Barkley proved to be well worth the 2nd overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. Along with his league leading 2,028 yards from scrimmage, Saquon scored 15 total touchdowns. He totaled 15 with 11 rushing and 4 receiving. His 91 receptions were also a rookie running back record. Saquon was a true force in both the rushing and receiving game.

Barkley was also voted to the 2019 NFL Pro Bowl. Saquon is greatly respected by his peers and coaches. Of course, the Pro Bowl is an event for the fans, so this is another testament to how much the fans love Barkley.

Saquon was excited to receive the award, and eager to bring it back to the Big Apple:

Giants fans should take a moment to reflect and appreciate Saquon Barkley’s incredible rookie season. Not only was Saquon a stat-sheet stuffer, he was also a human-highlight reel. Barkley proved he could take any play and turn it into a highlight.

A simple screen pass:

A speedy handoff from 78 yards out:

An everyday 9 yard gain:

And of course, an ordinary handoff from the 1 yard line:

New York Giants: Comparing Top College Quarterback Prospects To Eli Manning

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New York Giants quarterback, Eli Manning.

Eli Manning has had an incredible and historic career with the New York Giants. He took them to two Super Bowls, won them both, and was named MVP of both games. He holds every passing record in franchise history.

Eli has been the face of the franchise for over a decade. But after 15 years, it might be time to find a new face of the franchise. Eli Manning is one of a kind. He cannot be replaced. But the 15-year veteran is now 38 years old and does not have a lot of time left in the NFL.

When Eli and the Giants decide it is time to move on, the Giants will need to be prepared. The Giants may look to draft his successor in the upcoming draft.

In the 2019 NFL Draft, the Giants have many options for who could be selected to be Manning’s successor. Throughout his career, Manning played as a clutch quarterback who was never afraid to fire a big-time, gutsy pass. Some of the prospects in 2019 are similar to that. However, some of them are much different. The Giants could look for more of the same, or they could look to make a major change at the way their quarterback position is played.

Senior Prospects:

Eli Manning played college football until his senior year. Notable 2019 draft prospects who are seniors include Drew Lock and Will Grier.

In his college career, similar to his NFL career, Manning threw a lot of touchdowns but also threw a lot of interceptions (a 2.3 touchdown to interception ratio). He has the second highest collegiate-career interception total when comparing him to the 2019 prospects.

However, he is also tied for the second-highest touchdown total. Eli threw 81 touchdown passes, as did West Virginia quarterback Will Grier. Grier only threw 23 interceptions, however, compared to Eli’s 35. Grier played a much cleaner game of football (about a 3.5 touchdown to interception ratio), keeping the turnovers to a minimum.

Drew Lock from Missouri is another top senior prospect. Lock threw a whopping 99 touchdown passes in his 4 collegiate years. Through his 4 years, he also threw 39 interceptions, resulting in a 2.5 to 1 touchdown to interception ratio. His ratio is similar to Manning’s, but his high touchdown totals are enough to wow NFL scouts.

Lock also leads the class, Manning included, in passing yards. Lock threw for 12,193 yards, compared to Manning’s 10,119 yards, and Grier’s 8,556 yards. Lock’s higher numbers are due to him playing 50 games, while Grier only played 28 games, and Manning only playing 43 games. However, his number of games played should not undermine the fact that Lock was a highly efficient quarterback in college.

Junior Prospects:

There are also a few juniors who are near the top of the draft board. Those include Kyler Murray, and Daniel Jones. A fan favorite prospect, Dwayne Haskins, is a red-shirt junior. Haskins is considered by many to be the top quarterback in the 2019 Draft Class.

A couple of the juniors in this class also played a clean game with minimal turnovers. Dwayne Haskins and Kyler Murray both have incredible touchdown to interception ratios. Haskins threw 54 touchdown passes to 9 interceptions (a spectacular 6 to 1 ratio). Murray threw 50 touchdown passes to 14 interceptions (about a 3.5 to 1 ratio).

Daniel Jones out of Duke played less of a clean game in college. He threw 52 touchdown passes to 29 interceptions (a 1.8 to 1 ratio). This puts him far below the rest of the 2019 quarterback class and below Eli Manning’s 2.3 to 1 ratio. Despite this, scouts have linked Jones to the Giants because of his connections with Eli Manning.

Daniel has been to several Manning Passing Camps and was coached by the same head coach who helped Eli get ready for the NFL, David Cutcliffe. This connection, plus Daniel Jones‘s ideal height and weight, make him an intriguing prospect to many scouts.

Dwayne Haskins is by far the most statistically efficient quarterback in this class with a 6 to 1 ratio, but all scouts have is a small sample size. Dwayne started only one season at Ohio State. It was an incredible, 50 touchdown season, but scouts wish they could have seen more.

Kyler Murray was also highly efficient with a 3.5 to 1 ratio. However, Kyler Murray also played just one season as a starter. But in that season, Murray won the Heisman Trophy. Haskins came in third place in the Heisman voting, just like Eli Manning in 2003.

What makes Kyler Murray so special is his dual-threat ability. This is something Eli Manning never really brought to the table. Some Giants fans have been banging the table for a while now, crying out for a mobile quarterback to come save the Giants from their terrible offensive line.

A lot of Manning’s struggles over the year can be attributed to poor offensive line play. A mobile quarterback, like Murray, may be able to cancel out a lack of talent on the offensive line. Murray ran for 12 touchdowns in his junior season and picked up 1,001 rushing yards. Manning has gained 560 total rushing yards in his 15 year NFL career.

A dual-threat quarterback would be a major change for the Giants, but it could be just what they need to take their explosive offense to the next level. The read option with Murray and Saquon Barkley could be one of the deadliest plays in the NFL if the Giants drafted Kyler.

New York Giants: Safety/Special Teamer Michael Thomas To Play In Pro Bowl

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The NFC and AFC Conference Championship games took place this past weekend, setting the matchup for Super Bowl 53. With the Rams and Patriots set to face off in the Super Bowl, their players will not be able to play in the 2019 Pro Bowl. Because of this, alternate players will take their place. One of those alternates is the New York Giants‘ own Michael Thomas.

Highlights From Michael Thomas’s 2018 Season

Michael Thomas will be participating in the Pro Bowl as a special teamer. He is replacing the Los Angles Rams’ special teamer Cory Littleton. Littleton will be playing in Super Bowl LIII, so he cannot participate in the Pro Bowl.

Michael Thomas is a player that new GM Dave Gettleman signed in the 2018 offseason. Thomas spent his previous five seasons with the Miami Dolphins. Michael was Pro Football Focus’s Special Teams Player of the Year in 2017. He came to the Giants to don a captain’s patch and be the leader of the special teams unit.

Michael Thomas spent 2018 making key tackles on returns and downing punts near the goal line for the Giants. However, Thomas’s excellent play was not limited to just special teams.

Serving as a rotational defensive back, and filling in at safety for the injured Landon Collins, Michael Thomas played quality snaps on defense in 2018. Thomas totaled 58 tackles, a forced fumble, and a sack in 2018. In coverage, Michael Thomas was disruptive. He had 6 passes defended and two interceptions for the Giants this season.

The Giants now have four players set to play in the Pro Bowl in 2018. Michael Thomas will join kicker Aldrick Rosas, edge defender Olivier Vernon, and running back Saquon Barkley in Orlando on Sunday.

New York Giants: Saquon Barkley Wins Offensive Rookie of the Year Award

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On the list of things that the New York Giants fans can celebrate after last season, the rise of Saquon Barkley is near the top. The Giants spent the second overall pick on Barkley and while there were some doubts early on about whether or not they should have drafted a quarterback, those were quickly moved to the back-burner when Barkley provided immediate value for the team and lifted them as one of their best offensive players.

Barkley has received a lot of attention from around the league because of his status as one of the best running backs in the league despite his rookie status, and now, the Pro Football Writers of America have recognized that status by awarding Barkley the title of Offensive Rookie of the Year. When it was all said and done, there weren’t many other players that would have made sense as the award recipient. Barkley was just that good this year.

What did the year look like by the numbers? Barkley finished with 1,307 yards on 261 rushing attempts while playing behind the subpar Giants offensive line. Additionally, all but two of the rushing touchdowns scored by the Giants last season were scored by Barkley, who also dominated attempts while playing in front of Wayne Gallman.

Barkley was snubbed from the All-Pro teams earlier this month, so winning the Offensive Rookie of the Year award is a nice consolation. It’s no MVP award, of course, but there will be time for that in the future. After all, it’s easy to forget at this point, after everything that’s happened this season, that Barkley is still a rookie that was still playing in college around the same time last year.

One can only hope that soon, the New York Giants get the right players to help out Barkley and avoid wasting more good years from him.

New York Giants: Top Quarterback Prospect Kyler Murray Declares For Draft Amid Baseball Rumors

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It has been one week since Dwayne Haskins Jr. declared for the NFL Draft. On Monday, his competition for the top quarterback spot in the 2019 NFL Draft, Kyler Murray, officially declared. Kyler Murray is a junior quarterback out of Oklahoma University.

Kyler declared on the final day that underclassman could declare for the draft, with the deadline being at midnight. It has been an uncertain rumor wether or not Murray would declare due to his possible career in baseball, but he has decided to keep his options open and declare for the 2019 NFL Draft.

Kyler Murray Controversy

In June of 2019, the Oakland A’s selected Kyler Murray with the 9th pick in the 2018 Major League Baseball Draft. Murray is a talented out fielder. Some fans believe he could be a better professional baseball player than he could be a professional football player. Kyler has not been able to come to a decision on which sport he will choose to play, but declaring for the NFL Draft is a way to keep his options open.

Declaring for the draft does not mean Kyler Murray is choosing to play football instead of baseball. It simply means he is keeping his options open. He has a few more weeks to decide which sport he will pursue. By declaring, he now has the ability to choose football if he wants to, whereas not declaring would have meant he had to choose baseball or stay at Oklahoma one more year.

Murray declaring for the draft means he is strongly considering choosing football. It was believed for a while that Murray would choose baseball instead, but things changed over the past couple months. Kyler Murray won the Heisman Trophy in December, which proves he is an insanely talented football player who had an electric 2018 season. However, some scouts and analysts do not think he could succeed in the NFL due to his small stature.

Kyler Murray is listed at 5 feet 10 inches, but many fans and analysts are skeptical of that height. Some believe he is closer to 5 feet 9 inches, and some believe he is actually 5 feet 8 inches. This would make him the shortest quarterback in the NFL. This makes scouts worry wether Murray can even see over his offensive linemen when throwing the ball at the NFL level. On top of that, Murray is listed at 194 pounds, which fans and analysts are also skeptical of. With such a small stature, fans and scouts have the right to wonder wether Kyler’s body can handle taking hits in the NFL. All eyes will be on Kyler Murray as he gets measured at the NFL Scouting Combine in February.

Kyler Murray Statistics And Highlights

Kyler Murray started one season at quarterback for the Oklahoma Sooners. In 2018, Kyler Murray threw for 4,361 passing yards to go along with 42 passing touchdowns. His touchdown to interception ratio was impressive, as he only thre 7 interceptions. He was also an accurate passer with a 69% completion percentage.

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One trait that makes Kyler so special is his dual-threat ability. Kyler had 140 rushing attempts on which he averaged 7.2 yards per attempt and totaled 1,001 rushing yards and 12 rushing touchdowns. His ability to make plays with his legs makes defenses need to construct special game plans.

Murray is the ultimate dual-threat quarterback. Having him in an offense with Saquon Barkley and Odell Beckham Jr. could be electric, must-see TV. However, Kyler Murray will need to fill out his frame and remain healthy to find success at the professional level.

 

New York Giants: Olivier Vernon To Play In The Pro Bowl As An Alternate

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New York Giants, Olivier Vernon

The NFL announced the 2018 Pro Bowl rosters last month and three New York Giants were selected as starters. Saquon Barkley, Landon Collins, and Aldrick Rosas were voted to be starters.

Collins will be unable to participate due to injury, so the Giants were without a starter on defense in the Pro Bowl. That was until Khalil Mack of the Chicago Bears informed the league he will be unable to participate due to injury. A New York Giants pass rusher by the name of Olivier Vernon will start in Mack’s place.

Highlights From Olivier Vernon’s 2018 Season

Olivier Vernon dealt with injuries at the beginning of the season. He missed the first five games of the year with an ankle injury. However, when Vernon got on the field, he was the Giants’ best pass rusher.

Vernon finished the season with 7 sacks and 30 combined tackles in 11 games. He also added a forced fumble, five tackles for loss, and 21 quarterback hits. Vernon did not total a lot of sacks, but he did total a high number of quarterback pressures. Pro Football Focus gave Vernon a well above-average grade of 86.3, making him the 14th ranked edge defender in the NFL in 2018.

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Olivier Vernon Controversy

Being voted in as an alternate was a bit of a head-scratcher for Giants fans. Giants fans have been very critical of Vernon over the past two seasons. He has lacked top dollar productivity despite having a cap hit of $16 million. On top of that, Vernon has not been on the field enough to make a serious and consistent impact. He has missed nine games in the last two seasons, making Giants fans wonder what the team is paying for. The answer is that they are paying for an edge defender who will consistently pressure the quarterback. The issue is that he usually does not finish the play. A combined 13.5 sacks in the past 23 games is not worth $16 million in the eyes of Giants Nation.

Despite all this, Vernon is a Pro Bowler. Luckily for the Giants fans who want to see Vernon off the team next season, Vernon’s Pro Bowl nod makes that even more of a possibility. Fans vote for the Pro Bowl rosters, but so do players and coaches. Vernon making the Pro Bowl in 2018 shows that he has the respect of many players and coaches around the league. This should greatly boost his trade value and make it easier to move on from the edge rusher in 2019.