Saquon Barkley

New York Giants: Top Quarterback Prospect Declares For The 2019 Draft

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Could the New York Giants draft Dwayne Haskins with the No. 6 overall pick?

New York Giants fans have been debating all season long what their team should do this off season. The offseason is finally here and the 2019 NFL Draft will soon be here too. The Giants have a big decision to make: should they draft a quarterback or address another position of need?

Fans want the Giants to draft a quarterback because of current quarterback Eli Manning’s age and regression. Eli turned 38 years old this month, so how much longer he can play in the NFL is unclear. The Giants could choose to move on from Manning and draft his successor this offseason. If the Giants do decide to draft a quarterback, they now officially have a top quarterback prospect to pay attention to.

Dwayne Haskins Jr. Declares for the 2019 NFL Draft

On January 7th, 2019, the top quarterback prospect in the 2019 NFL Draft, Dwayne Haskins Jr., officially declared for the draft.

The red-shirt junior out of Ohio State University has quickly soared to the top of the draft board for most analysts. Haskins is the best quarterback in the draft. The talent at that position in this class drops off significantly after Haskins. If the Giants want to draft a quarterback this year, Haskins is by far their best option.

Statistics And Records:

2018 was Haskins’s first year as a starter. In 2018, Haskins broke plenty of college football records. Dwayne threw 50 touchdown passes this season which is the most ever by a quarterback in the Big-Ten in a single season. He even surpassed all-pro quarterback Drew Brees to break this record. He also broke the Big-Ten record for single-season passing yards with 4,831 yards. On top of all that, Haskins completed 70% of his passes this season, a record for Ohio State quarterbacks. Haskins’s amazing play in 2018 lead him to be a Heisman Trophy finalist.

Connection To The Giants:

Dwayne Haskins Jr. is a New Jersey native who grew up a big Giants fan. In an interview at the Heisman ceremony, Haskins discussed his life-long love for the Giants. He recalled childhood memories of Giants’ training camp and watching legends such as Jeremy Shockey, Amani Toomer, and more.

When asked about the Giants’ current quarterback Eli Manning, Haskins referred to him as a “legend.” He added that he would love to sit behind Eli and learn from him if the Giants do draft him.

Haskins also has a friendship with Giants’ pro bowl running back Saquon Barkley. Him and Barkley have been friend since high school. Haskins would love to have the opportunity to play alongside his friend Saquon and within the prestigious franchise that is the New York Giants.

Check out the full interview below:

New York Giants: Rosas Makes AP All-Pro Second Team, Barkley Snubbed

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Based on the results of the season, it’s not surprising that the New York Giants aren’t represented on the AP’s First Team All-Pro. The team finished with only five wins and was nearly out of the playoff race entirely by the time that midseason rolled around, but despite that outcome, they did manage to get one player on the AP’s Second Team All-Pro. That player might not be the one that you expect.

Aldrick Rosas, the Giants’ kicker who joined the team last year after being waived by the Titans in the 2016 offseason, managed to make it to the Second Team All-Pro after only two seasons in the league. Rosas made all but one of his field goal attempts, scoring 32 out of 33 times and making 31 of his 32 extra point attempts. Rosas contributed 127 total points to the team, a big step up from the 74 points of last year.

At only 24 years old, Rosas will be a long term player at an underrated position. If the Giants had been in more close finishes this season, his skill would have likely been noticed even more.

However, there was another notable Giant this season that likely should have been recognized, who didn’t make it onto either the First Team or the Second Team like Rosas. Saquon Barkley finished second in rushing yards for the entire league in his rookie season, but was snubbed in favor of First Team running back Todd Gurley and Second Team back Ezekiel Elliot. Gurley, notably, finished with less yards than Barkley but had the advantage of a better offensive line and a team that was in the spotlight all season, unlike the 5-11 Giants.

It’s good to see Rosas acknowledged by the wider sports media world, but it does seem like Barkley was underrated with some voters and didn’t get the proper credit after pulling off a historic season while playing in a bad situation. Still, Giants fans will know just how impactful Barkley was this season, and with this only being Barkley’s rookie year, there will be plenty of chances for him to gain more accomplishments later.

New York Giants: The Saquon Barkley Era Is Just Beginning

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New York Giants running back, Saquon Barkley.

The season is done and over for the New York Giants, but the era of Saquon Barkley being a team leader is only just beginning. Barkley has been great all season, of course, but with this game, he enters the record books. It’s not as good as the team making the playoffs, but it’s still a positive accomplishment for a first season where Barkley entered the league to much debate.

But by now, it should be clear that the Giants didn’t lose value by drafting a running back with the second pick rather than a quarterback. Rather, they likely gained value by picking up Barkley, who finishes the season with the third most rushing yards for a rookie ever, while playing behind an offensive line that has been awful at worst and only serviceable at best.

Everything was working against Barkley this season, from the offensive line to the team’s 1-7 start, which could have easily taken away the motivation to perform in the second half of the season, and he still managed to break the 2,000 total yards from scrimmage mark. That’s better than any rookie running back from almost the last two decades.

Now that it’s all said and done, it can be said that the rise of Barkley is the best thing to happen to the Giants this season. It looks likely that Eli Manning will return for another year, but his run as the starting quarterback isn’t going to last forever. Odell Beckham Jr. has been great since he was drafted, but injuries in the past two seasons have left a mark on his recent statistics. Both issues were relevant for the Giants this year, but Barkley was a consistent bright spot.

“I don’t know, to be completely honest,” Barkley said after the Dallas game, on the subject of Manning’s fate last year. “The only thing I know is that he has a lot of ball left, that this team believes in him. Even though the season didn’t end up how we wanted it to, we were in a lot of games, we just have to finish those games. I really can’t answer that question, but all I have to say is I know Eli has a lot of ball left in him and I know we believe in him.”

But whether Manning returns as the starter next year isn’t the most relevant thing. The fact of the matter is that the Giants have found the centerpiece player for their offense. Barkley’s 1,307 yards on the ground placed him at number two in the rushing yards standings, and it’s a fair assumption that the number of yards will increase if the quality of the offensive line increases during the offseason. Additionally, experience makes a big difference, and Barkley will have more of it going into next year.

If there’s one point to take away from 2018, it’s this one. The Giants might draft a quarterback, or they might not. But regardless of their decision, they already have a piece to build around going forward, both in this offseason and in future years. That’s more than most teams drafting this high up can say, and while the NFL is a quarterback’s league, having a great running back will make the job easier on any quarterback who starts in 2019… Whether that’s Manning, or anyone else.

New York Giants Vs. Dallas Cowboys Post-Game Analysis – What Now?

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The New York Giants hosted the Dallas Cowboys for the final game of the season. The Giants came into the game with a 5-10 record, already eliminated from the playoffs. The Cowboys arrived with a 9-6 record, already clinched a playoff spot. With a loss today, the Giants fall to 5-11 while the Cowboys move to 10-6.

Up And Down Offense:

Overall, the Giants’ offense played a great game. They totaled 35-points and got big games out of Barkley and Engram. However, quarterback Eli Manning did turn the ball over twice and the team was unable to move the ball on the final possession of the game.

Saquon Barkley had a record setting day. Barkley had 142 total yards today (109 on the ground, 33 through the air), which put him over 2,000 yards on the season. That made Barkley the third running back in NFL history to gain 2,000 yards in their rookie season, joining elite company.

In addition, Barkley had three receptions today which helped him set the record for the most receptions by a rookie running back in NFL history. Barkley finished the season with 90 receptions, surpassing the previous record of 88 held by Reggie Bush. Barkley had a rushing touchdown today, his eleventh on the season. That set a Giants franchise record for most rushing touchdowns in a rookie’s season.

Quarterback Eli Manning had a slow start to the game. He threw a red zone interception on the Giants’ first drive, the followed that up with a lost fumble on the next drive. After that, Manning responded well with 301 passing yards and two passing touchdowns. One was to wide receiver Cody Latimer, who hauled in Eli’s perfect pass with one hand for a touchdown. The other was a throw to the flat that Engram turned upfield and dove into the end zone with.

Lousy Defense:

The Giants’ offense was able to put up a big 35 points on Sunday, but the defense let up a whopping 36 points. Edge rusher Olivier Vernon had a big game with 2.5 sacks, but there is only so much one player can do. The Giants’ secondary got picked apart throughout the game.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott threw for 387 yards and 4 passing touchdowns with zero interceptions on the day. Tight end Blake Jarwin had a field day against the Giants with 119 yards and three touchdowns. The Giants defense had a chance to win the game in the fourth quarter, up 7 with the Cowboys looking at a fourth and fifteen. Unfortunately, the Giants were not able to make the stop. Dak Prescott connected with wide receiver Cole Beasley for the touchdown on fourth and fifteen. The Cowboys then converted the two point attempt to put the team on top 36-35.

Aftermath Of The Loss:

With this loss, the Giants are locked into a top eight pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. They currently hold the sixth pick and have room for improvement. If the Raiders win this week, the Giants can move all the way up to the fourth pick. This can come as a huge silver lining to Giants fans who are already looking ahead to the offseason.

Saquon Barkley Looking To Join Elite Company On Sunday

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New York Giants, Saquon Barkley

The New York Giants will face off in week 17 against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday. The 5-10 Giants will be playing already eliminated from the playoffs. The Cowboys will be playing with a playoff spot already clinched. Despite being eliminated, Giants fans do have something to look forward to: Saquon Barkley.

Record Chasing

Saquon Barkley has had a monster rookie season. He is a major candidate to win offensive rookie of the year. This season, Barkley has rushed the ball 244 time for 1,198 yards and 10 rushing touchdowns. In addition, Saquon has totaled 87 receptions for 688 receiving yards and 4 receiving touchdowns. These numbers put Barkley in position to break two big records on Sunday.

The NFL record for the most receptions by a rookie running back in a season is held by Reggie Bush with 88 receptions. Barkley is one reception away from tying that record, but odds are he hauls in two or more receptions and breaks it.

If Saquon gains three receptions, he will tie Odell Beckham Jr.’s record for most receptions in a season by a rookie in the franchise’s history history.

Joining Elite Company

Saquon Barkley currently has 1,886 total yards from scrimmage. If he is able to gain 114 total yards on Sunday, Saquon will join elite company.

2,000 total yards from scrimmage would be a huge accomplishment for Barkley. He would be only the third rookie running back to total 2,000+ yards from scrimmage. The other two players who accomplished this are Eric Dickerson and Edgerrin James.

Barkley is already one of the best backs in the NFL. The sky is the limit for the rookie. On Sunday he can prove that he has the chance to be one of the great running backs to ever play in the NFL. It all begins with a historic rookie season.

New York Giants: Previewing Week 17 Matchup Vs. Dallas

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Coming off of a late game collapse in Indianapolis last week, the 5-10 New York Giants will be hosting the Dallas Cowboys at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday for the week 17 season finale. The Cowboys are, of course, a division rival in the NFC East. This means that this is the Giants’ second matchup with Dallas this season.

In week two, the Giants traveled to Dallas to play the Cowboys in a primetime Sunday night matchup. The Giants lost this game 13-20. This was when the Giants offense was at an extreme low point. The final score was only a seven point difference, but this was because of a garbage-time touchdown by the Giants. The Cowboys owned them this game, but the Giants will have a chance to get revenge in week 17.

Taking A Look At The Cowboys

The Cowboys have clinched a playoff spot by winning the NFC East. They are sitting at 9-6 and will be looking to reach double digit wins after coming up a game short last season. Dallas is being lead by third year running back Ezekiel Elliot. Elliot leads the league in rushing yards this season.

The Cowboys offense has added a new weapon since the Giants last played them. They received wide receiver Amari Cooper in a trade with the Oakland Raiders. Since joining the Cowboys in week nine, Cooper has totaled 694 receiving yards and six receiving touchdowns. Elliot and Cooper are two key players that the Giants defense will need to stop in order to win.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Cowboys have had a rookie emerge as the leader of their defense. The first-year linebacker out of Boise State University, Leighton Vander Esch, has totalled 131 tackles this season, third in the NFL. On top of that, Vander Esch has added two interceptions and seven passes defended. Edge rusher Demarcus Lawrence is also having a good season. He has an impressive 9.5 sacks and 61 tackles this season. The Giants’ offensive line will need to give Lawrence a lot of attention in order to keep quarterback Eli Manning upright.

Injury Report

For the fourth time this season, superstar wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. has been ruled out. His season is over after just twelve games and he will not play in the season finale. The Giants have also ruled out defensive end Mario Edwards, middle linebacker Alec Ogletree, tight end Rhett Ellison, and wide receiver Russell Shepard.

The Cowboys will be without two defensive linemen this week. Defensive tackle David Irving and defensive end Tyrone Crawford will not play on Sunday. On top of that, the Cowboys have four players questionable. Left tackle Tyron Smith, right guard Zack Martin, linebacker Sean Lee, and cornerback Anthony Brown are all questionable.

The Giants’ Game Plan

The Cowboys have already clinched a playoff spot and have no room for improvement for a higher seed. With this in mind, it is likely that many of the Cowboys’ starters will see minimal to no playing time. The Giants will lean heavily on running back Saquon Barkley this week with multiple defensive linemen and linebackers either out or questionable for Dallas. Eli Manning had a good day passing the ball last Sunday against the Colts, and Giants fans should expect more of the same from the veteran quarterback against a mediocre Dallas defense.

The Giants will look to improve to 6-10 against the Cowboys, but many fans will argue that they shouldn’t. The Giants currently hold the 8th pick in the draft. With a win this week, the Giants could fall all the way back to the 12th pick in the draft. With a loss, the Giants could stay where they are, or potentially move all the way up to the 4th pick. For the Giants’ future, a loss would be ideal. However, head coach Pat Shurmur has already spoken out against tanking, so expect the Giants to give this one their all.

Oregon Quarterback Justin Herbert To Stay At School For Senior Year

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With the 2018-2019 NFL regular season coming to a close this week, playoff-eliminated teams will be turning their attention towards the offseason. With the offseason comes the NFL Draft. In 2018, five quarterbacks were selected in the first round of the draft. With the second overall pick in the 2018 draft, the Giants selected running back Saquon Barkley. Barkley has proven to be a generational talent, but many fans still wish the Giants selected a quarterback.

With the Giants sitting at 5-10 with one game left this season, many fans have been looking ahead to this year’s draft. Fans have been especially interested in the possibility of the Giants selecting a quarterback this year, since they passed on one last year. Unfortunately, this year’s quarterback class is not not expected to provide nearly as much talent as last year’s.

Oregon Quarterback Justin Herbert Will Not Declare In 2019

One quarterback that Giants fans were looking forward to their team potentially drafting this season was Oregon’s junior quarterback Justin Herbert. It has been a rumor all season that Herbert will stay at Oregon for his senior year. On Wednesday, December 26, Justin Herbert confirmed that the rumors were true. He has decided to stay at Oregon for his senior year. Many draft analysts had Herbert going in the top ten of this year’s draft. Herbert has the prototypical NFL quarterback frame, standing tall at 6’6″ and weighing in at 234 pounds. This makes scouts love Herbert.

On top of his physical traits, scouts love Herbert’s on-field talent. This season, Herbert tallied 2,985 passing yards on a 59.5% completion percentage. Herbert also threw 28 touchdowns to only eight interceptions. He also added two rushing touchdowns on the season. Such great statistics will leave fans wondering why Herbert decided to stay in college one more year.

Why Justin Herbert Is Staying In School

Justin Herbert could have chosen to make millions of dollars in the NFL this season. On top of that, Herbert was considered by many to be the top quarterback prospect in this draft class. There is no guarantee that Herbert will even be a top three prospect in next year’s draft class.

Despite all of this, Justin Herbert has decided to stay at Oregon for his senior year. Justin Herbert is a Eugene, Washington native who grew up with a deep love of the University of Oregon. Since joining the Ducks, it has been Herbert’s mission to bring Oregon back to its winning ways. On top of his love for the school and unaccomplished college mission, Herbert has a brother committed to playing for the Ducks next season. Justin’s brother Patrick Herbert will be playing tight end for Oregon next year, and the two brothers look forward to playing together.

Who Should The Giants Scout Now?

Giants quarterback Eli Manning turns 38 years old in January. The 15 year veteran has seen a regression in play over the past few seasons. His decreasing play and his massive contract are two big reasons why the Giants might look to move on from Manning during the 2019 offseason. The Giants no longer have Justin Herbert as an option in the 2019 draft, but they do have a few other options.

Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins Jr. is quickly climbing up draft boards around the NFL. Now that Herbert has decided he will not declare, Haskins Jr. will be considered the top quarterback prospect in 2019. Dwayne Haskins Jr. was a 2018 Heisman Trophy finalist. He lead the NCAA this season in passing touchdowns (47) and passing yards (4,580). The Buckeye is a pro-style quarterback which especially intrigues NFL scouts.

The Ohio State signal caller received a first round grade from the draft advisory board this week. There are no other quarterback prospects who are considered definite first round players at this point. Haskins Jr. is separated from the pack, however he too is a junior who has yet to make a decision. It is reported that after next week’s Rose Bowl, Haskins Jr. will meet with family, friends, and coaches and come to a decision.

Three New York Giants Players Awarded With 2019 Pro Bowl Honors

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New York Giants, Saquon Barkley

The NFL announced the rosters for the 2019 Pro Bowl on Tuesday and three New York Giants players were selected as starters. Those players include rookie running back Saquon Barkley, the NFL’s most efficient kicker this season in Aldrick Rosas, and the injured captain of the defense Landon Collins.

Saquon Barkley:

Saquon Barkley, the extraordinary rookie running back out of Penn State will participate in his first Pro Bowl of his career this year. The number two overall pick from last year’s draft leads all rookies in rushing yards and is third in the NFL in that category with 1,155 rushing yards on the season so far. Saquon has also tallied nine rushing touchdowns so far this season. On top of that, Barkley has 82 receptions for 654 yards and 4 receiving touchdowns. This totals his all-purpose yards at an astounding 1,809 yards with two games left to play. The Giants have a special player in Barkley. He is the first rookie Giants running back selected for the Pro Bowl since 1965. Giants fans should expect to see Barkley selected for the Pro Bowl on a yearly basis.

Aldrick Rosas:

After a rocky 2017, fans were skeptical of Aldrick Rosas and unsure if he should return to the team in 2018. However, it is now clear that the Giants front office made the right decision in keeping Rosas. Through 15 weeks of the 2018-2019 NFL season, Rosas has been the league’s best kicker. He has only missed one field goal all season, making his tally an impressive 28 for 29. His longest field goal of the season was a Giants team record 57 yard kick against the Chicago Bears. Rosas even won NFC Special Teams Player of the Week that week. Rosas will be the fourth Giants kicker selected to for the Pro Bowl in team history.

Landon Collins:

Former all-pro safety Landon Collins has now made the Pro Bowl for three straight seasons. Landon is a popular player in the NFL, known for his leadership and hard-hitting play style. Unfortunately, for the second season in a row, Collins will be unable to participate in the event due to injury.

Alternates And Snubs:

Many Giants fans were surprised to see that Odell Beckham Jr. was snubbed from the Pro Bowl roster in 2019. This is the secon season in Odell’s career that he was not selected as a Pro Bowl starter (last season he was not selected due to being placed on injured reserve in week 5.

However, Beckham Jr. was awarded as a second alternate, so it is likely he will have a chance to play in the game anyway. Along with Odell Beckham Jr., the Giants had two other players selected as alternates. Safety/special teamer Michael Thomas was selected as a special teamer first alternate.

Pass rushing outside linebacker Olivier Vernon was also selected as a first alternate. This shows that general managers and coaches around the NFL value Vernon’s play, which could boost his trade value this offseason. Another player who was snubbed from the Pro Bowl is linebacker Alec Ogletree. Ogletree has five interceptions this season and leads the Giants in tackles with 93 tackles. In the opinion of many Giants fans, his play during the second half of the season warrants a Pro Bowl selection.

New York Giants: Saquon Barkley Makes Pro Bowl In Rookie Year

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If there’s been one bright spot for the New York Giants this season, it’s been Saquon Barkley. The rookie from Penn State has had quite the year, even with the team not performing to the same standard, and it looks like that year will be capped off by playing in the Pro Bowl after almost certainly finishing the season in the top three of the NFL rushing standings.

Barkley was one of three Giants selected, along with Landon Collins and Aldrick Rosas, but Collins will miss the game due to his injury and recent shoulder surgery. Still, the three selections to the game is probably higher than what most people would have expected given the poor start to the season that saw the Giants fall to the near bottom of the standings.

However, Barkley making it into the game is unsurprising. His performances have placed him at the #3 spot in the current rushing yards standings, and because of that, he’s the definite favorite in the race for Offensive Rookie of the Year. It’s not every year, after all, that you see a rookie come in and dominate at a high-profile position like running back immediately in the way that Barkley has.

A rookie running back hasn’t made the Pro Bowl since 1965, showing just how historic this feat actually is. Barkley was compared to the greats from early on, but not many believed that he would eclipse them in some areas already, such as making the Pro Bowl as a rookie.

Landon Collins, on the other hand, would be playing in his third straight Pro Bowl but because of his earlier shoulder injury, will miss the game. Aldrick Rosas was also selected, and will play in his first Pro Bowl following his third overall season, after entering the league in 2016 and joining the Giants last January.

This might not be the best season, but seeing some of the team’s players recognized offers at least some consolation once the season comes to a close. One can only hope that none of the three Giants players that have been selected pick up injuries during the game.

Joe Namath On Saquon Barkley: “He’s That Kind of Player. He’s Special.”

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The praise just doesn’t stop for New York Giants rookie Saquon Barkley. The Offensive Rookie of the Year contender is not only the best performing offensive player from this year’s draft, but one of the best backs in the entire league despite not even getting a full season under his belt. Barkley has been praised by fans, other players, and retired stars alike, and one of those stars that has recently praised Barkley will be a familiar name to NFL fans in general but specifically to New York fans.

The player in question is Joe Namath, former New York Jets quarterback and Super Bowl champion. Namath may have a lot of years out of the league at this point, but even he’s caught onto the Barkley craze that’s spreading around the NFL and had some positive things to say about the rookie.

“From what I’ve seen on my television and from what the people have said about him that are the closest to him, I can only admire him and I look forward to seeing when he plays,” Namath told MSG Network. “When I’m switching games on the TV on Sunday, I’m switching to see people. I’m switching to see teams, yes, but I’m switching to see people and he’s one of the people I tune in to see how he’s doing on that day. He’s that kind of player. He’s special.”

Barkley is indeed that kind of player. He had his best performance of the year against the Washington Redskins and his 170 yards on the ground and one touchdown played a crucial role in the Giants getting a blowout victory. It’s these types of performances, which have helped the team to win despite not drafting a quarterback, that make Barkley the special player that others have described him as.

Namath touched on the draft in his comments, and the choice that the new Giants front office made to take a running back with the second pick instead of a quarterback such as Sam Darnold.

“One of my old coaches – it could have been coach Bryant [said] ‘Quit dealing with coulda, woulda and shouldas’ – that’s not running through their minds. I don’t want to go there. I think the Giants team is very happy with him.”

That last statement is likely very true, with Barkley sitting at third place in the NFL’s rushing standings behind Todd Gurley and Ezekiel Elliot, two backs who play for better teams and have more experience at the professional level. With three games left in the season, including Sunday’s game against the Titans, it’s quite possible that Barkley will manage to take the top spot. An impressive accomplishment for a running back that hasn’t completed a full season yet.