New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley is already a superstar entering his third year in the NFL, and is widely considered one of the most explosive and dynamically athletic talents in all of football.
Having just recently turned 23 years old (February), Barkley still has a ways to go before entering his prime, which begs the question: just how far up is his ceiling?
Unfortunately for Barkley, some of that development took a hit in 2019 as he dealt with a high ankle sprain, which caused him to miss a couple of games and then drastically limited his ability for a few additional weeks. However, he showed enough in 2018 that Pro Football Focus has once again listed him among the top 25 players under the age of 25.
13. RB SAQUON BARKLEY, NEW YORK GIANTS
Age at kickoff: 23 years, 7 months, 1 day
Barkley’s inclusion on this list is based on the obvious talent he showcased as a rookie in 2018 rather than the relatively disappointing, injury-plagued sophomore campaign we saw from him this past season. As a rookie in 2018, Barkley’s 86.3 receiving grade was a top-five mark at the position, and his 31 missed tackles forced after the catch led all NFL players by eight. That elusiveness — both as a runner and a receiver — is what makes him so dynamic in open space and what earns him a spot on this list.
Even in what was considered a down year, Barkley gained 1,003 yards on 217 carries (4.6 ypc) and scored six touchdowns. He added an additional 438 yards and two touchdowns as a receiver out of the backfield.
Extrapolated over 16 games, Barkley’s numbers would have been 1,234 yards rushing, 539 yards receiving and 10 total touchdowns. Not quite his rookie production, but still among the best in the NFL.
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