2018 NFL Draft: Saquon Barkley is the best player available

If you subscribe to the ideology of selecting the best player available, then Saquon Barkley should be the No. 1 pick at the 2018 NFL Draft.

It’s been quite some time since a running back has generated this level of excitement in the months leading up to the NFL Draft. Ezekiel Elliott and Leonard Fournette may beg to differ, but no running back has been a truly viable threat to go No. 1 overall since Reggie Bush in 2006.

Bush may not have realized his superstar potential, but Penn State Nittany Lions superstar Saquon Barkley has the tools to do so.

Barkley enters the 2018 NFL Draft cycle as the most well-rounded running back in this draft class. He produced elite numbers as a runner, receiver, and return man, and did so in one of the best conferences in college football.

More importantly: Barkley is the prototypical running back in every sense of the word, including his remarkable speed for a player his size.

Standing at 6’0″ and 233 pounds with long arm and 4.4 speed, Barkley is the type of prospect one can usually only dream of.

Barkley finished the 2017 campaign with 1,271 rushing yards and 18 rushing touchdowns on an average of 5.9 yards per carry. He added 54 receptions for 632 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns, as well as two kickoffs returned for touchdowns on just 15 total returns.

When one realizes that the otherworldly production is validated by a Myles Garrett level of strength and speed at running back, it’s easy to see why the hype train has arrived.

Insane.

I understand the fear that many feel when it comes to drafting a running back at No. 1 overall. Due to the fact that the Cleveland Browns have bigger needs than said position, it could be understandable for the franchise to hope Barkley slides to No. 4, when it picks again.

Whether it’s Cleveland at No. 1 or No. 4, the New York Giants at No. 2, or the Indianapolis Colts at No. 3, however, Barkley shouldn’t fall much further than their reach.

One could argue that he shouldn’t even fall to No. 2.

Barkley is a generational talent who can change the culture with his mere presence on the field. Suddenly, confidence rises at every position with the knowledge that Barkley can make something out of nothing in almost every way.

If a team has a solid offensive line and an even decent quarterback, the incoming rookie could realize his superstar potential.

If a team has a defense worth discussing, Barkley could also give that unit more time to breathe between possessions.

For Cleveland, the skill positions are much more of a need than one might presume. Isaiah Crowell and Duke Johnson have managed to strike an ideal balance, but Crowell is a free agent and Johnson doesn’t offer much as a runner.

With Barkley, the Browns could essentially combine two players into one—and Barkley has a higher ceiling than both in terms of what they do well.

For New York, pairing Barkley with Odell Beckham Jr. could mean creating a Le’Veon Bell and Antonio Brown type of situation. For Indianapolis, pairing Barkley with Andrew Luck could mean having two generational talents complementing one another to perfection.

That’s a rarity, but when it happens, good things tend to transpire.

It’s not just that Barkley is a supreme athlete who can put up big numbers on the collegiate stage. His vision as a runner has been heralded by scouts, coaches, and executives alike, and his three-down potential is as much about skill level as it is explosiveness.

Even if Barkley doesn’t come off the board at No. 1 overall, an even decent situation would mean providing him with the tools to be an All-Pro mainstay.

Giants general manager Dave Gettleman recently put it as plain as can be. Whether or not you view running back as an essential position, the opportunity to uncover greatness is one that simply cannot be taken for granted.

With Barkley, 32 teams will have an opportunity to do exactly that—three of which own the first four picks in the 2018 NFL Draft.

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There’s no guaranteeing that Saquon Barkley will make the most of his gifts and abilities, but come the 2018 NFL Draft, he’ll be the best player available until he’s drafted.