NFL Superstar Saquon Barkley

As a longtime fan of Saquon Barkley, it has been incredible watching him grow from a promising draft prospect to one of the NFL‘s most dominant offensive weapons. Barkley possess a rare blend of size, speed, power and instincts that allow him to pull off jaw-dropping plays every Sunday. Let‘s take a closer look at the career so far of the New York Giants sensational running back.

Early Life and High School

Saquon Rasul Barkley was born in Bronx, NY on February 9, 1997 to parents Alibay Barkley and Tonya Johnson. He credits his parents for instilling in him a strong work ethic from an early age. Barkley later moved to Pennsylvania where he attended Whitehall High School and made a name for himself as a star running back and track athlete.

Barkley took his game to another level his junior and senior seasons, rushing for a combined 3,646 yards and 51 touchdowns. He also won state titles in the 100-meter and 400-meter dashes on the track team, showcasing his elite speed. His success landed him on recruiting radars across the country.

College Career at Penn State

Barkley ultimately chose to attend Penn State University, where head coach James Franklin made him the focal point of the Nittany Lions offense immediately. Barkley delivered an outstanding freshman season in 2016, rushing for 1,076 yards and 7 touchdowns while also catching 20 passes.

Over his three seasons at Penn State, Barkley racked up incredible stats including:

• 5,038 career rushing yards (Penn State record)
• 51 career rushing touchdowns (Penn State record)
• 3,843 career all-purpose yards (Penn State record)
• 8x Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week honoree

The highlight of Barkley‘s Penn State career came in 2017 when he led the school to a Big Ten title while compiling over 2,000 yards from scrimmage and 18 touchdowns. For his efforts, he won the Chicago Tribune Silver Football award as the Big Ten‘s best player and became a unanimous All-American.

NFL Draft

With his elite college production and freakish athletic profile, Barkley was expected to be one of the top picks in the 2018 NFL Draft. The Cleveland Browns almost made him the #1 overall pick but ultimately went with Baker Mayfield. The New York Giants then selected Barkley at #2 overall to be the centerpiece of their offense going forward.

Electrifying Rookie Year

It did not take Saquon Barkley long to show he was worth the high draft selection and hype. In his first NFL game, he rushed for 106 yards and a touchdown, foreshadowing the huge year to come. Barkley would finish his rookie season with:

• 1,307 rushing yards and 11 TDs
• 721 receiving yards on 91 catches
• Set franchise rookie records for most rushing TDs and receptions
• First Giants rookie ever with over 2,000 scrimmage yards
• Unanimous NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award

Barkley routinely ripped off highlight-reel runs, showcasing his burst, elusiveness and power. He immediately became one of the NFL‘s must-see players and gave Giants fans hope for the future.

Continued Excellence

While Barkley has battled some injuries in recent years, he has still managed to play at an elite level when on the field. Some notable career highlights so far include:

• 4x Player of the Week award
• Seventh fastest player to reach 3,000 career rushing yards
• One of only two RBs with 15+ TDs of 50+ yards since 2018
• 10+ touchdowns in a season twice (2018, 2020)
• 19 games with 100+ rushing yards

Rest assured, the best is still to come from Saquon Barkley. Now entering his prime at age 26 and fully healthy, he is poised to re-establish himself as the NFL‘s most dominant rusher in 2022. As a fan watching him since college, I cannot wait to see what he does next. The league better be on notice – a motivated Saquon is prepared to put the Giants on his back this season!