Saquon Barkley

Was New York Giants GM David Gettleman Being Selfish By Taking Barkley At 2?

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New York Giants, Dave Gettleman

Did the 2018 NFL Draft turn out to be a selfish one for New York Giants’ GM David Gettleman?

Finally, after months of speculation and mock drafts, we finally know who the New York Giants landed with the no. 2 overall pick. And as most fans and experts predicted, Big Blue selected Penn State standout, Saquon Barkley.

Was this the right pick? If you look at the actual facts, we may not be able to tell if they made the correct choice, however, Gettleman and the Giants are definitely telling us something.

Right off the bat, Saquon Barkley is projected to get a whopping $31 Million, which is top 5 running back money, which is hefty for someone who has never played an NFL snap. Spending the pick on Barkley means you aren’t trading OBJ anytime soon and he will project to get at least $18 million per-year.

Gettleman will presumably allocate well over $40 million to Nate Solder, Odell Beckham and Saquon Barkley, which is close to 25% of the salary cap on just three players. Not to mention the $21 million that aging quarterback Eli Manning earns.

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But maybe the Giant’s can compete for Superbowl?

The Eagles, Cowboys, Saints, Falcons, Panthers, Packers, Vikings and the Rams are all significantly better suited for a deep playoff run for not only the upcoming season, but the future as well. The Lions and Seahawks have younger and more talented QB’s, and the 49er’s and Bears have young talented signal callers who may take them to the next level. This is the toughest a conference is projected to be from top to bottom in years.

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The Giants are not a great running back away from being a contender. Eli Manning will be in Canton one day but he has not been good as of late, let alone great in recent history. They have an aging defense with a revamped yet unproven offensive-line.

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Will Hernendez is a first round talent that fell to the second round, Lorenzo Carter fell in their laps in the third — props to the new GM for making the smart and obvious choice, however, drafting them was the obvious choice with or without Barkley.

Who should the Giants have drafted at 2?

Sam Darnold is the often mentioned name that has surfaced the last three months. He is only 20 years old! Darnold could be the starting QB for the next 15 years and still be younger than Eli is today! He has the highest floor and quite possibly the highest ceiling.

Say, both Gettleman and new head coach Pat Schurmur didn’t truly value any of these QB’s as a future franchise quarterback, then simply trade down. Accumulate current and future assets. This was a very deep running back draft and they could’ve gotten good value in the later rounds.

Dave Gettleman, 67, is no spring chicken and he wants to see Big Blue raise that banner again. However, the likelihood of them achieving that goal with this roster is low. He didn’t even field any potential offers. That, to me, is both selfish and arrogant.

Barkley drawing 7 up front, leaving Odell one on one vs. some poor CB who has the improbable task of guarding him alone, will be extremely exciting to watch. Catching the ball out of the flat and making players miss – it’ll be a ton of fun to experience, but will that be enough to surpass Dallas or Philly?

Only time will tell.

 

 

New York Giants Draft Saquon Barkley With Number Two Pick

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With the second pick in the NFL Draft, the New York Giants selected Penn State running back Saquon Barkley.

Reports from around the team started leaning towards Barkley over the past couple of days, as quarterbacks such as Sam Darnold and Josh Rosen fell out of favor with the Giants organization, and the pick is now official after Cleveland passed on Barkley to select Baker Mayfield with the first pick.

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Barkley is from The Bronx and has stayed relatively close to home for college. He finished his three year career at Penn State with 3,483 rushing yards and 1,195 receiving yards, as well as 51 total touchdowns.

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He also finished with an average of 5.7 yards per attempt, and scored twice as a return man for the Nittany Lions last year. Now, Barkley will play for his hometown and will be one of the cornerstones of the Giants team next season as the team rebuilds.

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Scouts Have Overwhelmingly Great Things To Say To About Saquon Barkley

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We all know Penn State running back Saquon Barkley has all of the tangible and intangible skills to become a force in the NFL. For the New York Giants, drafting Barkley would instantaneously improve the offense and provide the team with a young leader to carry a team into the 2018 season.

The comeback of Odell Beckham Jr., the development of Evan Engram and the potential final season for Eli Manning set this year up to be a big one, and Barkley would undoubtedly assist in their success.

NFL scouts seem to think something similar, as they continue to rave about his overall quality and prowess on and off the field.

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“He’s legit.” “Better prospect than Zeke and Fournette.” “You’re talking about a 230-pound dude who runs sub-4.4 that has balance and run skills. It’s rare.”

At 234-pound, Barkley has the frame of a linebacker, the agility of a slimmer running back, he power of a fullback and the catching ability of a receiver. Additionally, he’s the farthest thing from a liability off the field, and his leadership only contributes to his overall stock.

NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah stated:

“I agree with the executive I spoke to last week who said Barkley is a better player than Ezekiel Elliott. I’m not taking anything away from Elliott’s rare talents — he’s obviously a great player — but Barkley has more wiggle and top-end speed than Elliott. Elliott’s a powerful runner and he has great instincts. Barkley is at the same level in both of those facets of the game, but Barkley’s start-stop quickness and top speed are on a different level.”

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Elliott has enjoyed one of the best offensive lines in the league for the length of his career thus far, and Barkley might be headed to a team with one of the worst. Despite the Giants adding left tackle Nate Solder and left guard Patrick Omameh, there’s still a lot of work to be done. While at Penn State, Barkley recorded negative runs on 17.5% of his running plays, which can be attributed to defenses stacking the box to stop the elusive rusher.

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Barkley was essentially Penn States’ most lethal weapon, which forced opposing teams to game-plan for him. In accordance to that fact, the running back often averaged about 15 rushes per-game — far less than a normal NFL work-horse back. He also averaged about three receptions per game, which only attests to his superior abilities in all facets of the game.

One of the most appealing aspects of Barkley’s game is his ability to find the endzone. On average, he saw himself in the endzone nearly twice per game, making him a premier option on the goal-line, and a future fantasy football god.

Bringing Back The Tradition Of Great New York Giants Running Backs

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Tiki Barber, Brandon Jacobs, Ahmad Bradshaw…

A few names to consider when thinking of good New York Giants Running Backs. Lately though in the horrible Mcadoo era, the position has been modestly ignored except for the drafting of Wayne Gallman out of Clemson in the 4th round –110th overall.

Gallman had decent stats starting late in the year. He rushed for 476 yards and caught one touchdown. Running Backs that can create balance were essential keys when the New York Giants and Eli Manning won both of their infamous Super Bowls.

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The next Giant Running Back?

There is a possibility with the 2nd pick in the 2018 NFL Draft the New York Giants could select Saquon Barkley out of Penn State.

Barkley essentially showed at the combine that he was the all-around most tantilizing back potentially in the last decade. He recorded insane numbers: Official 4.40 in the 40-yard dash at 233-pounds which was outrageous, and that came after 29 bench press reps the day before.

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Barkley also clocked a 4.24 time in the short-shuttle drill, which was the eighth-fastest among running backs in attendance. Barkley has shown he can be the first top three running back pick since Reggie Bush in the 2006 NFL Draft.

Barkley could greatly help Eli Manning to bounce back and create balance the New York Giants offense hasn’t had in a long time. The Penn State phenom has lightning quick speed, and can catch the ball out of the backfield, and can block.

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There’s no doubt that Barkley could bring back the days if Tiki Barber or Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw. He packs a punch, he’s quick, agile, powerful and intelligent. An offense with Barkley, Odell Beckham Jr., Sterling Shepard and Evan Engram would be lethal against any defense in the league.

-Davis Webb

-Saquon Barkley

-Odell Beckham Jr.

-Sterling Shepard

-Evan Engram

-Nate Solder

These core players could easily be successful in the current day NFL. Having a polarizing running back and stellar left tackle is a successful formula alone, and adding a generational wide receiver to the mix only improves those odds.

 

Odell Beckham Jr. Already Creating Relationship With Stud Penn State Runningback

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The New York Giants could easily decide to spend their No. 2 overall pick in the first-round on Penn State running back Saquon Barkley.

Barkley is a potential generational talent at the next level, which would give the Giants two unparalleled talents on offense for Eli Manning to work with. Head coach Pat Shurmur would have a plethora of weapons at his disposal with Engram, Beckham Jr., Barkley and Shepard.

Maybe the Giants brass has sent OBJ on a mission:

Maybe, just maybe, the Giants’ regime has sent Beckham Jr. on a mission to create a rapport with Barkley, as they want the offense to have chemistry when the Giants select him at No. 2 overall. Very optimistic but hell, who knows?

Barkley had great things to say about OBJ when asked about potentially playing alongside him with the Giants.

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“That would be special,” Barkley told the New York Post. “I admire Odell’s game. He’s a walking highlight. Everyone knows the one-handed plays, but he can catch a slant and take it 80 yards. Not only Odell, [Sterling] Shepard, the tight end [Evan Engram], they’re all special, they’re all talented.

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“If I was fortunate enough to get drafted to a team like the Giants, I feel like if I was able to have the success that I had in college, I feel like that would be a good fit. But there, you add a running game, it’s like, what can you do on the defensive side of the ball? You have a veteran, established quarterback, Eli Manning, who’s proven himself, won two Super Bowls, that you know the guy’s gonna get the job done. It would be special to learn from guys like him and Odell. Obviously, any team that drafts me, I feel like that’s a good fit.”

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Barkley is a class act and knows his contribution to Big Blue would be exactly what they need to reach another level of success. Creating a relationship with Beckham Jr. only gets the ball rolling for a potential future of star-power.

New York Giants GM Dave Gettleman Raves About Saquon Barkley

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New York Giants‘ GM Dave Gettleman is the man behind the smokescreen, and getting to the top of his list of priorities is about as difficult as finding a needle in a hay stack.

But, from what we have to work with, Gettleman is a big fan of Saquon Barkley. Predicting what the Giants will do with their No. 2 overall selection is nearly impossible, as rumors have Josh Rosen, Barkley, Nelson and others going to the Giants in the first-round.

Signing left tackle Nate Solder puts in the Giants in a good position to take an offensive weapon, whether it’s a young quarterback or Barkley. There’s one thing we can say for sure, Davis Webb is the wild card amid all the speculation.

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For now, we can break down what Gettleman is saying about the best prospects entering the draft.

There’s no doubt we can conclude that Barkley is the ‘real’ deal and has the capabilities to be an all-around back in the NFL.

The question here is: Does the need at running back outweigh the need at quarterback?

The answer: Davis Webb… But wait, that’s another question!

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At the current moment, there are too many questions and not enough answers. The answers will be relieved on April 26… Draft day.

Head coach Pat Shurmur expressed the need for a running back that can run the ball, catch the ball, and pick up a block. Adding hogmollies to the line surely helps protect the quarterback, but can we rely on Jonathan  Stewart and Wayne Gallman to hold down the fort for the entire 2017 season? Chances are they will be an average, if not below average.

Private Visit:

Gettleman did state that they would host Barkley for a pre-draft visit to learn a bit more about him. If his 4.3 40-yard dash at 225-pounds wasn’t enough, this will give the Giants a second-chance to evaluate his personal skills and abilities off the field.

With the Giants at No. 2, they would either have to take Barkley or forever hold their peace. The Cleveland Browns are likely to select the star running back at No. 4 if they take a quarterback with the No. 1 overall pick.

Saquon Barkley Breaks Down Why He’s A Perfect Fit For The New York Giants

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The New York Giants could go any direction they choose in the upcoming 2018 NFL Draft, but running back Saquon Barkley is one of the more enticing options.

Barkley spoke to reporters via Penn State Live in regard to being selected by the Giants:

“I think Eli Manning definitely has a lot in the tank left, he’s still an extraordinary player. You have Odell Beckham, one of the most exciting players in the NFL for three or four years. Then you talk about Sterling Shepard and the tight ends. If I’m able to have the success that I had in college, being able to demand that attention that I brought from the backfield, it’s kind of hard (for opposing defenses). What are you going to do? You don’t want to load the box because the wide receiver corps is so dangerous. If I’m able to have success, you have to factor in the run game too.”

Just the thought of Eli Manning, Odell Beckham Jr., Sterling Shepard, Evan Engram, and Saquon Barkley lining up on offense is intimidating. For the record, Manning has won two Super Bowls with far less talent on offense. Three if not four premier level talents would give Manning all the tools he needs to achieve success once again.

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If GM Dave Gettleman were to select Barkley with the No. 2 pick, he would solidify the claim that the Giants are playing to win now, and not in two or three years when Manning is gone and their young quarterback is prepped.

The Giants have maintained a rather below-average running back tandem for the past few years. The last time they had a truly exciting running game was when they had the likes of Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs.

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Flashback alert!

https://twitter.com/iamBigRob44/status/974999974848147456

While the Giants still acquire blocking specialist Rhett Ellison and have upgraded the left tackle position with Nate Solder, an improved running game is to be expected. With four above-average skill players on offense, the opposing defense would have no choice but to play conservative. By stacking the box to stop Barkley they would enable Odell Beckham Jr. to have one-on-one coverage, and Engram could exploit the seam. It’s an unstoppable formula.

From an overview perspective, Barkley has the highest probability to where a gold-jacket in the future, and Gettleman may be too tempted by his abilities to pass up on him.

 

No Saquon Barkley? Here’s A Running Back That Can Bring Back Earth, Wind, And Fire

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The New York Giants have the second overall pick in this year’s draft, a lot of people think that they should take Saquon Barkley, and a lot say they should take a quarterback. The fact is, Saquon Barkley may not even be available when the Giants pick at number two.

There are plenty of options throughout this draft that could help the New York Giants running game tremendously, and Derrius Guice is an obvious choice if available in the second round.

The LSU running back had a tremendous 2016 season filling in for injured Leonard Fournette, starting 6 or 12 games and rushing for 1,387 yards and 15 touchdowns. 2017 was a little different for Guice as he fought through injury, but still managed to start 11 of 12 games and rush for 1,251 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Strengths:

Derrius Guice provides exceptional balance, speed, and a violent running style that would have an immediate impact on any NFL team. These attributes compare with those of Marshawn Lynch, and when watching his tape I can see why. He is an aggressive downhill runner that can still make cutbacks and change direction at any moment. He will always fight for an extra yard at the end of every play and never shies away from contact.

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Weaknesses:

Injury is a concern, as well as the number of hits he absorbs. His pass protection and receiving needs improvement but shows the ability to grow in that aspect. There is concern that his running style may prevent him from being an every-down back.

How would he fit in with the Giants?

Many teams in the NFL are deploying backfields with multiple running backs with different running styles and is something the Giants have attempted to do in the past. With the recent signing of veteran Jonathan Stewart and Wayne Gallman coming off of his rookie season that showed promise. The addition of Derrius Guice could provide the versatility that could make this backfield deadly.

Bringing the earth, wind, and fire to the New York Giants backfield could be exactly what they need to be competitive again. Stewart’s power, size and goal line capabilities would be the “earth,” Gallman’s shiftiness would be the “wind,” and Guice’s violence and speed would be the “fire.”

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“Don’t waste your time on 2017 film because he wasn’t even back up to his top speed until the bowl game. He will be the same player he was in 2016. If you had a grade on him after last year, you should use that.” — LSU assistant coach

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73aKs9kTNKA

Saquon Barkley’s Biggest Strength Is The New York Giants’ Biggest Weakness

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For the New York Giants, injuries have plagued the organization for the past several years. Whether it was due to the turf, lack of all-around talent, dangerous throws, tackles, runs… You name it, the Giants have suffered injuries in every which way.

This has been the single most significant downfall for Big Blue, and finding a way to cut back on the injuries is as the forefront of the team’s priorities.

Finding players that are healthy, durable and know how to protect themselves is incredibly important. Additionally, a player that can play though an injury is something the goes beyond football. It brings up the examples of Carson Wentz and Alshon Jeffery. Wentz threw a TD pass on a torn ACL and Jeffery played a majority of the season with a torn rotator cuff.

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What really is Saquon Barkley’s biggest strength?

Barkley brings more attributes to the table than any running back in the upcoming NFL draft: Agility, power, speed, and the biggest one, DURABILITY.

As I stated before, the Giants have been plagued by injury, and if they decide to take Barkley in the draft, they can guarantee a durable running back. The shelf-life of a RB in the  NFL is extraordinarily short, which is why drafting a RB in the top-five picks is usually not advisable.

The only injury Barkley suffered during his college career was an ankle injury, which he tried to continue playing on, but simply couldn’t.

A player like Barkley doesn’t come around very often, and if the Giants are willing to take a flier on the generational running back, they can ensure that they will be getting the cream of the crop.

New York Giants Get Good News In Race For Saquon Barkley

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For all of you fans that believe the New York Giants should select Saquon Barkley with the No. 2 overall pick, you may have just gotten your wish.

New development:

The only team standing in the way of the Giants and Barkley was the Cleveland Browns. Well, the once lowly Browns are now planning to sign former 49er’s running back Carlos Hyde.

Hyde signed a three-year, $15 million deal, earning him $5 million per-season. Now, that’s nowhere in the stud running back range, but with other priority needs, he is likely going to be given the opportunity to start alongside Duke Johnson.

The Browns were keen on keeping Johnson, their third-down and pass back. Grabbing Barkley with the first-overall pick would only push Johnson further down the ladder, and bringing on Hyde nearly solidifies the claim that they will be addressing another position of need in the draft.

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Other free agency moves:

Cleveland also brought in quarterback Tyrod Taylor from the Buffalo Bills, which may sway opinions in terms of their potential to take a quarterback at No. 1. It’s possible they draft a player like Wyomings’ Josh Allen to begin developing. He could be the heir to the throne after Taylor’s contract expires.

But for the Giants, it opens up a world of possibilities. Having their choice of players at No. 2 allows them to either take arguably the most polarizing player in the last decade of NFL Drafts, or they can trade out of the spot to acquire more value. Or, they can always take a quarterback if they believe Davis Webb isn’t the future of the team.

In other words, it puts the Giants in the drivers seat, and that’s exactly what we need to hope for.