New York Giants Football: Ranking Dave Gettleman’s top 10 moves
By Matt Clark
3. Passing on a quarterback in favor of Saquon Barkley with the 2nd pick of the 2018 draft
When the Giants possessed the second overall pick in the 2018 draft, most draft experts felt the most prudent decision for Gettleman would be to pass on Saquon Barkley, who was undoubtedly the most talented player in the draft. Instead, Gettleman would choose to forego their franchise quarterback of the future instead, opting to pick the generational talent Barkley with the pick.
Barkley would go on to win the Rookie of the Year award in 2018, after accumulating 2,028 all-purpose yards and 15 touchdowns on the season, en route to a Pro Bowl selection. In addition to those accolades, Barkley would tie the NFL record for most 50+ yard plays from scrimmage (5), tying Randy Moss, the league record for most receptions in a game by a rookie (14) and most receptions by a rookie running back in league history (91).
He would also go on to break a number of franchise records for the Giants including most rushing yards (1,307), most rushing touchdowns (11) and most total touchdowns (15). While he has had a down year in 2019, due to an ankle injury and a poor offensive line, Barkley has all the makings of a future Hall of Fame running back. Given the success that Daniel Jones has had, selecting Barkley with the second pick appears to be the right choice by Gettleman.