No. 5 – Saquon Barkley Surpasses 1,500 Total Yards
The New York Giants have not had a 1,000-yard rusher since Ahmad Bradshaw in 2012.
That’s about to change this upcoming season. Big Blue’s highest draft selection since Lawrence Taylor, Saquon Barkley, is set to take the league by storm in his rookie year.
The 6-foot, 230-pound running back was considered the top talent in this year’s draft class. He has drawn comparisons with Hall of Famer Barry Sanders coming out of Penn State. In three seasons with the Nittany Lions, Barkley amassed 5,038 total yards and scored 51 touchdowns.
Predicting Barkley to surpass 1,000 yards rushing is not enough for New York’s first-round pick. The Giants are expecting him to make an immediate impact as a receiver out the backfield and lined up outside.
For that reason, Barkley will surpass 1,500 total yards in his rookie season. He is considered the frontrunner for NFL Rookie of the Year, according to Pro Football Focus.
Both Leonard Fournette and Todd Gurley fell short of 1,500 total yards in their rookie seasons. Ezekiel Elliott amassed 1,994 total yards behind Dallas’ dominant offensive line in his first season.
It surely won’t be an easy feat for Barkley to break 1,500 yards. It will be Shurmur’s commitment to the ground game, and the rookie running back’s ability to play on all three downs that make this stat possible.