Grading every NY Giants first-round pick since 2013

NY Giants 2018 first-round pick: Saquon Barkley, B+

We'd love to give the NY Giants a much higher grade for drafting Saquon Barkley. However, the combination of injuries, and the fact that the Giants took a running back second overall hurts his chances. We all know how talented Barkley is, but we can't ignore the fact that injuries have plagued two of the five seasons he's spent in the NFL so far.

Through his first five seasons with the Giants, Barkley has ran the ball 954 times for 4,249 yards and 29 touchdowns, averaging 4.5 yards per carry. Alongside this, Barkley has appeared in two Pro Bowls and was the Offensive Rookie of the Year for his draft class. The talent is incredibly clear, but injuries have continuously held Barkley back.

Barkley has played 13+ games in all but one season, but even then, injuries have hampered him in almost every year aside from his rookie season. In Year 2 it was a high ankle sprain early in the season. Then, Barkley tore his ACL in Year 3 and dealt with recovery and another ankle sprain in his fourth season. Even last season, when he made his second Pro Bowl, he was very clearly dealing with an issue that slowed him down.

Now, entering the biggest season of his career, Barkley is dealing with an uncertain future with the Giants due to his possible contract extension. While it seems unlikely that a deal gets done soon, we're hopeful to see Barkley return to the Giants for the foreseeable future.