Saquon Barkley Named 95th On Giants Top 100 Players List.
To celebrate the Giants’ 100th season, an independent committee of award-winning journalists, NFL and Pro Football Hall of Fame executives, and superfans have ranked the Giants’ Top 100 players. Willie Williams secured the 96th spot on their Top 100 List.
Many feel this ranking is tainted by Saquon Barkleys recent departure to The Philadelphia Eagles, given the controversy I’ll share the panels thoughts.
New York Giants Press Release
The Associated Press NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award has been bestowed since 1957. In the first 57 years of the award, through 2013, no Giants player ever won it. Then the Giants accounted for two in five years. The No. 2 overall selection in the 2018 NFL Draft, Saquon Barkley capped an extraordinary debut season with the award, matching the achievement of wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. in 2014. Fittingly, Beckham presented Barkley with the trophy at the eighth annual NFL Honors. Beckham was the franchise’s first Rookie of the Year since Hall of Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor had won the defensive award in 1981. Barkley had one of the most productive rookie seasons by a running back in NFL history, and he inserted his name into numerous sections of the Giants’ franchise records.
In his first season, Barkley led the NFL with 2,028 yards from scrimmage and set Giants rookie records for rushing yards – Barkley’s 1,307 yards were 477 more than the 830 yards racked up by the No. 2 rookie on the franchise’s list, Tuffy Leemans, set way back in 1936 – receptions (tying Beckham’s total of 91); total touchdowns, with 15 (the former record of 12 was shared by Bill Paschal in 1943 and Beckham in 2014; and rushing touchdowns, with 11 (the former mark of 10 had been held by Paschal since 1943). Barkley led the NFL with seven 40-plus- yard runs and six 50-plus-yard runs. The latter figure was the highest single-season total by a Giants player since the 1970 AFL–NFL merger. His six 50-plus-yard runs were twice as many as any other NFL player had in 2018. Barkley was also the first NFL rookie with five 50-plus-yard touchdowns from scrimmage since Minnesota wide receiver Randy Moss in 1998. But Barkley was by no means a one-season wonder.
Barkley became the first player in Giants history to rush for at least 1,000 yards in each of his first two seasons. On December 22, 2019, Barkley set a franchise record with 279 yards from scrimmage (189 rushing and 90 receiving) in an overtime victory at Washington. The previous record of 276 yards was set by Tiki Barber versus Philadelphia on December 28, 2002.
Should Saquon Barkley be ranked higher on this list? Absolutely. This placement seems influenced by politics rather than merit. Barkley’s performance and talent warrant a higher ranking, and it’s disappointing to see how things are developing.
