I remember the first time I watched Saquon Barkley play. It was in 2017. The Penn State Nittany Lions were playing the Ohio State Buckeyes. In the first half of that game, he had his way with the Ohio State defense. It was then that I knew he would be a special player for years to come in the NFL. The New York Giants drafted him in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft with the second overall pick. Although the Giants have struggled as of late, he’s been the shining point of the franchise. Yesterday in Chicago, he suffered a knee injury which forced him to miss the game. Today, it’s been confirmed that it’s a torn ACL. His season is officially over.
He’s regarded as one of the five best running backs in the league. To be so young, he has that “it factor”. Saquon has phenomenal lower body strength which makes it difficult for any defender to tackle him. He’s a bigger running back, but can play small meaning he can slide through in between lanes to get by. What makes Saquon stand out is his elusiveness. As a would-be tackler, you can place yourself in the right position and he will still find a way to make you miss in the open field. He has everything in his arsenal to be an elite back. I’ve seen him run through, hurdle over and by people and he can stiff-arm people. He’s a bigger and physical version of Barry Sanders.
This is a huge blow for the Giants offense. He’s become their best offensive player in a short period. Saquon has become a popular player around the league. Injuries unfortunately were the talk of week two. I’m wishing him a speedy recovery.
