Two years ago, the New York Giants used the No. 2 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft on Penn State running back Saquon Barkley, and he’s quickly become one of the most dynamic playmakers in the entire league.
Barkley recently spoke exclusively with Draft Wire about teaming up with FedEx to provide COVID-19 relief, his thoughts on drafting running backs early, and reflecting on his own draft experience.
JM: Saquon Barkley is joining me today on behalf of FedEx, as the company is playing a major role in the fight against COVID-19. You must be pretty proud be speaking on their behalf today.
SB: I’m very proud of FedEx and the work they’re doing to deliver critical medical supplies to the healthcare community, while ensuring that people receiving basic goods at home. Anytime you can align yourself with a company that’s making a positive impact in the community, it’s a no brainer for me, especially in this time of need. It’s truly amazing. To keep up to date with the FedEx relief efforts please visit: http://fedex.com/coronavirus. I wanna send a huge thank you to the first responders and everybody working on the front lines to help stop COVID-19.
JM: It’s an excellent cause. You won the FedEx Ground Player of the Year award in 2018. I think it’s time for you to repeat in 2020.
SB: That was a huge honor for me. Winning that award was an amazing feeling. My mindset right now is to just try and get back on that football field. When we do get back on the field, my job is to do whatever it takes to be an excellent teammate and to help us win games. That’s all I’m thinking about right now. It’s the little things that make a big difference in the long run.
JM: It’s NFL Draft day today, and your New York Giants are slated to make their first selection at No. 4 overall. Are you hoping for one of those big offensive linemen to come in and open up some holes in the run game?
SB: To be honest with you, I just want them to draft a player that’s gonna come into our building with the right mindset and be ready to work hard. At the end of the day, the goal is to win football games. I’ll be thrilled to gain any new teammates that’s gonna help us achieve our long term goals.
JM: No doubt. Who are some running backs in this class that have caught your eye?
SB: I sent out a tweet about that the other day. I got caught up taking a look at the talent at the running back position in this draft class. I’m very impressed by what I’ve seen. D’Andre Swift is gonna be a great player. Jonathan Taylor, J.K. Dobbins, Clyde Edwards-Helaire and A.J. Dillon definitely come to mind, as well. That’s a great group of guys right there. I’m excited for them as they get ready to come play at the next level.
Swift, JK, JT, Cam Akers, AJ Dillion and Clyde Edwards!! (those are the ones that come to my head right away) this gonna be a fun running back class!! 😤
— Saquon Barkley (@saquon) April 18, 2020
JM: Are there any Penn State guys that we should be looking out for?
SB: We have a couple of guys you need to watch out for. One that jumps off the tape of course is K.J. Hamler. That’s an amazing player right there. He’s explosive and super fast. He’s quick and he has great hands. He has a lot of heart. I’m so excited to see where he goes. We have some talented guys at Penn State. Hopefully everything works out and we can all get back to playing football sooner rather than later.
JM: The pandemic hasn’t left a lot of room for first impressions, but what do you make of your new head coach Joe Judge and new offensive coordinator Jason Garrett?
SB: Just like you said, we haven’t had a ton of opportunities to interact. We’ve all been stuck at home. So far, I’m very impressed with both of them. I love their attitude and what they plan on bringing to the organization. I’ve appreciated how they’ve conducted themselves. It sucks that we can’t all be together right now but I’m very excited to work with both of those guys in the near future.
JM: Your general manager, Dave Gettleman, catches some slack for his alleged lack of tech smarts. Is he fooling everybody? He’s secretly a genius when it comes to technology, isn’t he?
SB: I’ve seen some of that on social media. I don’t really know (laughs). He drafted Daniel Jones and I. I think he’s done a great job so far with all of his draft picks.
JM: What’s the biggest hit you’ve taken so far in your career?
SB: J.J. Watt, my rookie year. He got me pretty good (laughs). It was within the first few weeks of my rookie season. It was definitely a “welcome to the NFL” moment for me. I remember it well.
JM: The value of drafting a running back early is often debated. We’ve seen guys such as yourself, Christian McCaffrey and Ezekiel Elliott make huge impacts as top-10 selections. What are your thoughts on that debate?
SB: I think it all comes down to the team and what they’re looking for at that time. If they’re in need of a top running back, then it definitely makes sense to draft one early. That goes for any position, really. It could be a quarterback, an offensive tackle or a guard. I don’t think it should depend on your position. You never know what type of player a guy is gonna be when he gets to the NFL. A team should always be looking for a guy that has the right mindset, first and foremost. As a player, you can always find a way to add value to the team.
JM: What do you recall about your draft day experience, and do you have any advice for tonight’s selections?
SB: It was an amazing moment in my life. I had an amazing week. Reminiscing on it always reminds me of my daughter. Getting drafted is an incredible feeling, and a life-changing moment in any young man’s life. I was drafted to play for the New York Giants, the city in which I was born. You can’t ask for any more than that. It’s been an amazing experience. It was amazing for my mother as well. I live about an hour away from my mother. I can drive down there anytime I want to spend time with her.
As for any advice I have for the guys getting drafted tonight, congratulations to you. You’ve worked your butt off for this moment. It’s not about just making it to the NFL. You wanna be a leader and somebody that really adds value to the organization, both on and off the field. It’s time to take it to another level now.
FedEx as a company is playing a major role in the fight against COVID-19.
FedEx has responded to this global pandemic by working around the clock to deliver critical medical supplies to the healthcare community, while ensuring that people receiving basic goods at home.
To keep up to date with the FedEx relief efforts visit:Â fedex.com/coronavirus
This year the FedEx Air & Ground awards will return for the 18th season.
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