The Giants finally have their generational running back.
New York selected running back Saquon Barkley No. 2 overall in Thursday night’s NFL Draft in Arlington, Texas, passing on a bevy of quarterbacks and defensive end Bradley Chubb.
“I’m just truly excited and honored to be part of the New York Giants,” Barkley told ESPN’s Suzy Kolber on stage after being drafted at AT&T Stadium. “When I got to visit their program, I fell in love. But you walk in, you see the Super Bowls right away, and you see that team is about winning. And hopefully I can go up there and help as quick as possible.”
The last several months revolved around speculations of whether the Giants, coming off a historically bad 3-13 season, would opt to retool for one last run with 37-year-old Eli Manning, or attempt to land the next franchise quarterback.
The new regime is evidently still sold on team’s prospects in the present.
General manager Dave Gettleman said last month that he envisioned the Giants’ selection eventually wearing a “gold jacket” as a Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, emphasizing the importance of the decision for such a high draft pick.
Barkley, one of the most complete prospects in recent memory, certainly looks capable of running all way to Canton, Ohio one day.
At Penn State as a college junior last season he totaled 21 touchdowns, 1,271 rushing yards on 217 carries and 54 catches for 632 yards. His 4.4 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine was the second-fastest ever by a running back weighing at least 230 pounds, according to NFL.com.
The Giants haven’t had a 1,000-yard rusher since Ahmad Bradshaw in 2012. They recently moved on from their leading rusher last season, Orleans Darkwa (751 yards), who is a free agent, while bolstering their offensive line with the signings of tackle Nate Solder and guard Patrick Omameh.
Barkley joins an offense featuring superstar wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., who is recovering from a broken ankle which forced him to move the final 11 games last season, talented third-year wideout Sterling Shepard and tight end Evan Engram, who finished fifth in receiving yards (722) at the position in 2017 as a rookie.
The last time the Giants picked No. 2 overall was in 1981, when they selected future Hall of Fame, two-time Super Bowl champion linebacker Lawrence Taylor.
The Cleveland Browns took Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield No. 1 overall, while the crosstown Jets selected USC quarterback Sam Darnold at No. 3.
