the kid runs his routes, looks the ball in and has as soft a hands as I've seen on many first-round wideouts and that is the bonus side of the position. His legs are like girders and by all accounts picks up the blitz assignments on cue. I'm not nieve enough to sign off on all this hype, but I've watched the kid in HS, college and now with NY and he keeps getting better, he listens to coaching. I use my own evaluation and could care less what the pundits think. I am glad as hell he's with us and wish him gold jackets and rings seen from across eight tables! He is going to have those moments before week one where we as fans are going to say, "did I just see that?" My biggest hope, he makes everyone around him up their game, then we will have something. I've been saying it for eight years and I am by far a PSU fan, I take 'em or leave 'em, but talent is talent and this kid has the goods!
RE: Brandt isn't just a media guy. He was a successful gm for Â
The kid has a ton of tools but let’s let him play a few seasons before we start comparing him to all time greats. This team is not going to win many games this year if he can rush for 850 or more yards then he will have had a very good first year. Most NFL backs take time to gain a feel for the NFL and the team offense maybe two or three years.
Then maybe if he can remain healthy he can get into his prime years in the NFL where he consistently runs for 1100 or more for let’s be generous five to seven years. If he can have that statement season most great backs have 1700 or more once or twice during this period great. He will in all likelihood be a very good player but one great player does not a championship team make. OBJ is a great talent but the Giants are not a great team he got hurt but would this team had won more than five games even with him?
SB will need many new players around him in the years to come then maybe you have a chance to begin the talk about the gold jacket but it’s not a short run it’s a long run to earn the gold. Bo for all his abilities got hurt the great ones remain on the field of play hopefully SB will also. Then you have the other NFL killer FA will he wear blue all his career or will he be another it’s not about the money player no one knows. Just remind him most players never produce to the same numbers when leaving one team for another very few end up with gold jackets. No matter how we as fans think and love the team and players never forget it’s a big business for the owners and players.
The kid has a ton of tools but let’s let him play a few seasons before we start comparing him to all time greats. This team is not going to win many games this year if he can rush for 850 or more yards then he will have had a very good first year. Most NFL backs take time to gain a feel for the NFL and the team offense maybe two or three years.
Then maybe if he can remain healthy he can get into his prime years in the NFL where he consistently runs for 1100 or more for let’s be generous five to seven years. If he can have that statement season most great backs have 1700 or more once or twice during this period great. He will in all likelihood be a very good player but one great player does not a championship team make. OBJ is a great talent but the Giants are not a great team he got hurt but would this team had won more than five games even with him?
SB will need many new players around him in the years to come then maybe you have a chance to begin the talk about the gold jacket but it’s not a short run it’s a long run to earn the gold. Bo for all his abilities got hurt the great ones remain on the field of play hopefully SB will also. Then you have the other NFL killer FA will he wear blue all his career or will he be another it’s not about the money player no one knows. Just remind him most players never produce to the same numbers when leaving one team for another very few end up with gold jackets. No matter how we as fans think and love the team and players never forget it’s a big business for the owners and players.
If 10+ games isn't many then I dont know what is.
I'm not saying GB is right nor discounting media spin Â
But it really could just be a former FO pro and current reporter / analyst with a relatively thoughtful scouting process saying just what he said - this is the best prospect he's graded post-NCAA / pre-NFL
It DOESNT at all mean he's saying he's as good an NFL player as Bo or whoever else. Just that from THIS point after college, this expert would put a huge bet on his success
Why does it have to be anything else when that's a very likely situation? Can't we just like he thinks so and hope it materializes on the field?
The kid has a ton of tools but let’s let him play a few seasons before we start comparing him to all time greats. This team is not going to win many games this year if he can rush for 850 or more yards then he will have had a very good first year. Most NFL backs take time to gain a feel for the NFL and the team offense maybe two or three years.
Then maybe if he can remain healthy he can get into his prime years in the NFL where he consistently runs for 1100 or more for let’s be generous five to seven years. If he can have that statement season most great backs have 1700 or more once or twice during this period great. He will in all likelihood be a very good player but one great player does not a championship team make. OBJ is a great talent but the Giants are not a great team he got hurt but would this team had won more than five games even with him?
.
If there was ever a position where rookies have had high rates of success wouldnt that position be running back? It doesnt gaurantee anything for Barkley but there seem to be endless examples of successful runningbacks who found success in years 1-3.
has completely gone off the deep end. He is good but know they just keep spewing nonsense
Why? It’s called projections. PROJECTIONS. Every single collegiate player entering the pros since the dawn of man has been analyzed, projected, and dissected. The great prospects get talked up. It’s how this shit works. If Brandt didn’t love Barkley as much as he does he wouldn’t say he loved him as much as he does. And why shouldn’t he say it? It’s his opinion.
Why this shit bothers some of you so much I’ll nevrr know. Barkley is universally beloved. This isn’t a bad thing. Every time someone posts a reputable source espousing and praising Barkley’s potential people get the vapors...
Barkley needs to demonstrate that he can block and break tackles Â
I'm assuming skilled players are just that - offensive players at QB/WR/TE/RB.
If so, I'm putting Randy Moss ahead of SB. He was nasty at Marshall; a total freak.
Barry Sanders is still like nothing I've ever seen at the college level. His production makes what SB did look JVish.
Did anybody see Willis McGahee at Miami? My God he was brilliant his last year. I would rank him above SB.
I think he was timed at Miami under 4.3 and as strong as a rhino. There was nothing he couldn't do. And despite the awful knee injury in the Fiesta Bowl, he still went on to have a very, very good pro career.
RE: Barkley needs to demonstrate that he can block and break tackles Â
If either of those things were a question that needed answering, one would think he probably isn't regarded as the best player in the draft almost unanimously. I think it's a fair assumption that they know that already.
I'm assuming skilled players are just that - offensive players at QB/WR/TE/RB.
If so, I'm putting Randy Moss ahead of SB. He was nasty at Marshall; a total freak.
Barry Sanders is still like nothing I've ever seen at the college level. His production makes what SB did look JVish.
Did anybody see Willis McGahee at Miami? My God he was brilliant his last year. I would rank him above SB.
I think he was timed at Miami under 4.3 and as strong as a rhino. There was nothing he couldn't do. And despite the awful knee injury in the Fiesta Bowl, he still went on to have a very, very good pro career.
I'm a Hurricane fan, and McGahee isn't close to Barkley. He didn't have Barkley's agility, and their chops in the passing game aren't in the same stratosphere.
As for Sanders, I don't think anyone can touch Sanders as far as his moves. But he, too, was not as much of a factor in the passing game as one would like. But that is nitpicking, as that guy is the best running back I've ever seen. When a coach thinks you've put a foreign substance on your jersey because you are that hard to tackle, you're that good.
If it isn't the serious, elusive, Leroy Green. I've been waiting a long time for this Leroy. I am sick and tired of hearing these bullshit Superman stories about the wassa legendary Bruce Leroy catching bullets with his teeth.
RE: Nothing would excite me more than his total success Â
I'm a Hurricane fan, and McGahee isn't close to Barkley. He didn't have Barkley's agility, and their chops in the passing game aren't in the same stratosphere.
As for Sanders, I don't think anyone can touch Sanders as far as his moves. But he, too, was not as much of a factor in the passing game as one would like. But that is nitpicking, as that guy is the best running back I've ever seen. When a coach thinks you've put a foreign substance on your jersey because you are that hard to tackle, you're that good.
McGahee was a better between the tackles runner than SB. He ran with controlled violence. He was a 230lb RB running over and around defenders. I agree he didn’t have the bounce, but he was very nimble and could get to top speed pretty quickly. Miami didn’t need to throw as much to their backs with Johnson and Winslow in the mix. Yet, McGahee still averaged 13 ypc on nearly 30 receptions.
Remember, he still got drafted in the first round despite the horrible spaghetti knee injury. That’s how much the NFL still thought of him.
But these are just personal opinions. And I tend not to be a prisoner of the moment, so I just don’t elevate Barkley because we drafted him or he because he seems more unique.
SB is much more versatile than Bo was coming out of college Â
If you are suggesting BJ didn’t catch enough passes, which is true, that’s not his fault. That’s the nature of the game back then, especially Auburn’s philosophy...
Only 7 players surpassed 1100 yards on the ground last year -- and basically all of them had good offensive lines.
I think a lot of you are overestimating the situation he is walking into.
This is a bad team, in a new system with massive questions on the oline and terrible depth at the WR.
This isn't the Cowboys and Elliot 2 years ago, with a fantastic, best in a decade type line.
Darkwa/Gallman combined for 282 carries (17.6 carries/game) and 1227 yards (4.35 yards/carry). If Barkley is the feature back from Day 1 (15+ carries/game) and the OL's run blocking is improved with Solder, Hernandez, and Omameh then 1100+ isn't out of the question. At 15 carries per game, Barkley needs just under 4.6 yards/carry to top 1100 yards.
and his ability to elude tacklers and change direction are superb. Bo was an electrifying runner and unstoppable at the college level, but I think SB has him in those categories as a collegian.
I'm assuming skilled players are just that - offensive players at QB/WR/TE/RB.
If so, I'm putting Randy Moss ahead of SB. He was nasty at Marshall; a total freak.
Barry Sanders is still like nothing I've ever seen at the college level. His production makes what SB did look JVish.
Did anybody see Willis McGahee at Miami? My God he was brilliant his last year. I would rank him above SB.
I think he was timed at Miami under 4.3 and as strong as a rhino. There was nothing he couldn't do. And despite the awful knee injury in the Fiesta Bowl, he still went on to have a very, very good pro career.
These are draft grades, so surely McGahee would've been knocked down a bit by the injury.
Would he have topped the grade Brandt gave Barkley without the injury? I have no idea.
RE: RE: SB is much more versatile than Bo was coming out of college Â
If you are suggesting BJ didn’t catch enough passes, which is true, that’s not his fault. That’s the nature of the game back then, especially Auburn’s philosophy...
Bo was way before my time, but Barkley's route running has received a lot of praise in addition to *just* his hands. Being able to line him up at WR or in the slot can create some significant mismatches that many other RBs wouldn't be able to take advantage of.
not often I find basis to disagree with bw, one of the most knowledgeable fans (many sports) here, but I tend to side with 34, if only because my recollection is that WMcG was built taller, a bit more long, and SB @ 6' is more compact even might be harder for DL and LBs to draw a bead on, especially at second level.
Running between the tackles and putting McGahee over SB, TBD, but, gosh, that's got to be a function in large part of your OL, and good luck SB, difficult to compare, esp. at this point
and his ability to elude tacklers and change direction are superb. Bo was an electrifying runner and unstoppable at the college level, but I think SB has him in those categories as a collegian.
As I've said over and over again - if he was better than Bo or Barry, why was his production not better?? Yes, college production isn't the end-all be-all, but given the ludicrous superlatives shouldn't he have done better if he truly is THAT amazing?
more on the edges and outside, in the passing game, RPO etc while Bo & Barry were classic tailbacks, off tackle, student body left, etc.
Can't say SB was the superior collegiate player, and can't say he'll be the better pro. But, his skillset was different and appears a better fit for the modern game.
from Bo. Bo was also pure straight ahead physical. SB have Bo's size but big thighs and bow legged like Barry Sanders. Stops, starts, plant and change directions at his size is special.
Who came along before then that was better than a guy touched by the hand of God?
I think Gil Brandt has been grading players for the draft since 1960, so Barkley is his highest graded skill player ever, but that doesn't include players who entered the league before 1960. Jim Brown comes to mind.
Franco Harris? He obviously had a very good career and is in the HOF but his skill set wasn’t anywhere near what Barkley’s is. Barkley may not end up having the career that Harris did but that’s not the point of the article. It also helped that Harris played on a team full of HOFers, including the OL.
anyone who thinks his contribution to this particular overall offense ( difference makers in OBJ and Engram) is going to be measured in traditional RB metrics in this particular era of the NFL is going to be disappointed by comparisons to historical figures or players on teams with no other means of significant disruption.
Giving someone with Eli's ability to read and our other weapons a yard of time and space by tilting the scale towards the defense one further step back and one further step spread and one more half a second to read...can have enormous impact and few stats
Franco Harris? He obviously had a very good career and is in the HOF but his skill set wasn’t anywhere near what Barkley’s is. Barkley may not end up having the career that Harris did but that’s not the point of the article. It also helped that Harris played on a team full of HOFers, including the OL.
What Harris did in Pittsburgh is irrelevant. This would be based on what Brandt saw when Harris was at PSU.
I dare anyone to visit youtube and look at Earl Campbell when he was at UT and Herschel Walker when he was at Georgia. Those were different era, but they were tremendous physical specimens who dominated great competition...
RE: RE: SB has more well rounded skills receiving Â
and his ability to elude tacklers and change direction are superb. Bo was an electrifying runner and unstoppable at the college level, but I think SB has him in those categories as a collegian.
As I've said over and over again - if he was better than Bo or Barry, why was his production not better?? Yes, college production isn't the end-all be-all, but given the ludicrous superlatives shouldn't he have done better if he truly is THAT amazing?
Saying college production isn't the end-all be-all, but then turning right around and acting as though it is? To be accurate: Barkley's junior season actually eclipsed Bo's senior season in yards from scrimmage, yards per play and total touchdowns. So, Barkley as a junior outperformed Bo as a senior, if you just compare their first three seasons Barkley absolutely decimates Bo's numbers. There you have it, your "proof" that Saquon Barkely is a better player than Bo Jackson.
So there's that. Of course, if we just need stats why don't we just look up the guys who put up the best numbers each year and not bother with scouting at all and draft accordingly? Why even watch them play?
Then, with regards to Barry Sanders, his junior season is widely regarded as the greatest single collegiate season by any offensive player of all time. So, by that standard, there never was nor there ever will be a better RB prospect than Barry Sanders. Again though, these are prospects ratings, and they grade them in all aspects, so Barkley could be closely rated to Barry in many aspects and eclipse him in other aspects like his size or ability in the passing game.
RE: RE: RE: SB has more well rounded skills receiving Â
Then, with regards to Barry Sanders, his junior season is widely regarded as the greatest single collegiate season by any offensive player of all time. So, by that standard, there never was nor there ever will be a better RB prospect than Barry Sanders. Again though, these are prospects ratings, and they grade them in all aspects, so Barkley could be closely rated to Barry in many aspects and eclipse him in other aspects like his size or ability in the passing game.
Do you know what really makes Sanders' year at Oak State so great? It's the fact that he backed it up by being great in the pros.
He's the greatest runningback I've ever watched play football.
So, I get the backlash against the comparisons, it would be similar to someone comparing a recent draftee to Lawrence Taylor, which would be sacrilege. The thing is, it's not Giant fans making these comparisons. It's Gil Brandt. If Gil Brandt wants to go on record making those comparisons, I'm sure he's fully aware of the context of what he's suggesting, the guy is a walking encyclopedia of football knowledge. Brandt isn't the only one making seemingly outlandish comparisons. Matt Millen compared SB to Sanders as well as Marshall Faulk. Lance Zuerlein who writes the NFL.com capsules/pro player comparisons. John Brenkus, the host of sports science compared him athletically to Barry Sanders. Anonymous scouts in Bob McGinn's draft preview referring to him as a "big Barry Sanders". Anthony "booger" McFarland calling him the best running back since Sanders. You could keep going, but the point is there are a lot off football people heaping all sorts of high level praise Barkley's way, these aren't isolated statements. The difference with Barkely and all these other recent high level prospects, is they kept comparing those RBs with Adrian Peterson, saying "the best since Peterson". To have this many people skip right by Peterson, Faulk, Tomlinson etc and go right to Barry is pretty remarkable.
He's the greatest runningback I've ever watched play football.
So, I get the backlash against the comparisons, it would be similar to someone comparing a recent draftee to Lawrence Taylor, which would be sacrilege. The thing is, it's not Giant fans making these comparisons. It's Gil Brandt. If Gil Brandt wants to go on record making those comparisons, I'm sure he's fully aware of the context of what he's suggesting, the guy is a walking encyclopedia of football knowledge. Brandt isn't the only one making seemingly outlandish comparisons. Matt Millen compared SB to Sanders as well as Marshall Faulk. Lance Zuerlein who writes the NFL.com capsules/pro player comparisons. John Brenkus, the host of sports science compared him athletically to Barry Sanders. Anonymous scouts in Bob McGinn's draft preview referring to him as a "big Barry Sanders". Anthony "booger" McFarland calling him the best running back since Sanders. You could keep going, but the point is there are a lot off football people heaping all sorts of high level praise Barkley's way, these aren't isolated statements. The difference with Barkely and all these other recent high level prospects, is they kept comparing those RBs with Adrian Peterson, saying "the best since Peterson". To have this many people skip right by Peterson, Faulk, Tomlinson etc and go right to Barry is pretty remarkable.
I don't want to give the impression that I find the comparison to Sanders outrageous. I absolutely don't. And I wouldn't expect a comparison to AP because the running styles are not similar. AP was down hill, hard, one cut, punishment.
SB is more about avoiding the hit with super-natural quicks, stops on a dime, spins, multiple cuts, instant acceleration, etc. Very, very similar to Sanders.
So that's what this really is - a stylistic comparison.
But where it starts to get murky is when we compare ACTUAL production and consistency. So while SB does have the style, and again that is on the mark, he really is not in the same universe with Sanders on a game to game and consistency basis.
Barkley played one more game than Sanders and had nearly 1,600 yards more! Sanders "worst" game was "only" 154 yards on 25 carries against Missouri. He had four 300+ games.
I mean, the numbers are just insane...and that was when the Big 8 was still very good with Oklahoma, Nebraska, Texas.
when you say "1600 yards less" I assume you are talking about their JR seasons only? And only rushing? Because otherwise there's nothing close to that:
75-800-7 receiving.
Great blitz pickups.
I'd be jumping for joy!!!
We need more dorgan and a fuckload less dragon.
Hopefully, one day we can say, there is only one SB.....
We need more dorgan and a fuckload less dragon.
LOL
In fairness, those three decades ended three decades ago.
I'll be rooting for Barkley from my nose to my toes, but I don't Brandt's opinion to validate it.
Then maybe if he can remain healthy he can get into his prime years in the NFL where he consistently runs for 1100 or more for let’s be generous five to seven years. If he can have that statement season most great backs have 1700 or more once or twice during this period great. He will in all likelihood be a very good player but one great player does not a championship team make. OBJ is a great talent but the Giants are not a great team he got hurt but would this team had won more than five games even with him?
SB will need many new players around him in the years to come then maybe you have a chance to begin the talk about the gold jacket but it’s not a short run it’s a long run to earn the gold. Bo for all his abilities got hurt the great ones remain on the field of play hopefully SB will also. Then you have the other NFL killer FA will he wear blue all his career or will he be another it’s not about the money player no one knows. Just remind him most players never produce to the same numbers when leaving one team for another very few end up with gold jackets. No matter how we as fans think and love the team and players never forget it’s a big business for the owners and players.
Then maybe if he can remain healthy he can get into his prime years in the NFL where he consistently runs for 1100 or more for let’s be generous five to seven years. If he can have that statement season most great backs have 1700 or more once or twice during this period great. He will in all likelihood be a very good player but one great player does not a championship team make. OBJ is a great talent but the Giants are not a great team he got hurt but would this team had won more than five games even with him?
SB will need many new players around him in the years to come then maybe you have a chance to begin the talk about the gold jacket but it’s not a short run it’s a long run to earn the gold. Bo for all his abilities got hurt the great ones remain on the field of play hopefully SB will also. Then you have the other NFL killer FA will he wear blue all his career or will he be another it’s not about the money player no one knows. Just remind him most players never produce to the same numbers when leaving one team for another very few end up with gold jackets. No matter how we as fans think and love the team and players never forget it’s a big business for the owners and players.
If 10+ games isn't many then I dont know what is.
But it really could just be a former FO pro and current reporter / analyst with a relatively thoughtful scouting process saying just what he said - this is the best prospect he's graded post-NCAA / pre-NFL
It DOESNT at all mean he's saying he's as good an NFL player as Bo or whoever else. Just that from THIS point after college, this expert would put a huge bet on his success
Why does it have to be anything else when that's a very likely situation? Can't we just like he thinks so and hope it materializes on the field?
Then maybe if he can remain healthy he can get into his prime years in the NFL where he consistently runs for 1100 or more for let’s be generous five to seven years. If he can have that statement season most great backs have 1700 or more once or twice during this period great. He will in all likelihood be a very good player but one great player does not a championship team make. OBJ is a great talent but the Giants are not a great team he got hurt but would this team had won more than five games even with him?
.
If there was ever a position where rookies have had high rates of success wouldnt that position be running back? It doesnt gaurantee anything for Barkley but there seem to be endless examples of successful runningbacks who found success in years 1-3.
Why? It’s called projections. PROJECTIONS. Every single collegiate player entering the pros since the dawn of man has been analyzed, projected, and dissected. The great prospects get talked up. It’s how this shit works. If Brandt didn’t love Barkley as much as he does he wouldn’t say he loved him as much as he does. And why shouldn’t he say it? It’s his opinion.
Why this shit bothers some of you so much I’ll nevrr know. Barkley is universally beloved. This isn’t a bad thing. Every time someone posts a reputable source espousing and praising Barkley’s potential people get the vapors...
If so, I'm putting Randy Moss ahead of SB. He was nasty at Marshall; a total freak.
Barry Sanders is still like nothing I've ever seen at the college level. His production makes what SB did look JVish.
Did anybody see Willis McGahee at Miami? My God he was brilliant his last year. I would rank him above SB.
I think he was timed at Miami under 4.3 and as strong as a rhino. There was nothing he couldn't do. And despite the awful knee injury in the Fiesta Bowl, he still went on to have a very, very good pro career.
If either of those things were a question that needed answering, one would think he probably isn't regarded as the best player in the draft almost unanimously. I think it's a fair assumption that they know that already.
If so, I'm putting Randy Moss ahead of SB. He was nasty at Marshall; a total freak.
Barry Sanders is still like nothing I've ever seen at the college level. His production makes what SB did look JVish.
Did anybody see Willis McGahee at Miami? My God he was brilliant his last year. I would rank him above SB.
I think he was timed at Miami under 4.3 and as strong as a rhino. There was nothing he couldn't do. And despite the awful knee injury in the Fiesta Bowl, he still went on to have a very, very good pro career.
I'm a Hurricane fan, and McGahee isn't close to Barkley. He didn't have Barkley's agility, and their chops in the passing game aren't in the same stratosphere.
As for Sanders, I don't think anyone can touch Sanders as far as his moves. But he, too, was not as much of a factor in the passing game as one would like. But that is nitpicking, as that guy is the best running back I've ever seen. When a coach thinks you've put a foreign substance on your jersey because you are that hard to tackle, you're that good.
75-800-7 receiving.
Great blitz pickups.
I'd be jumping for joy!!!
2300 yards from scrimmage would be 11th best all time.
I think a lot of you are overestimating the situation he is walking into.
This is a bad team, in a new system with massive questions on the oline and terrible depth at the WR.
This isn't the Cowboys and Elliot 2 years ago, with a fantastic, best in a decade type line.
I'm a Hurricane fan, and McGahee isn't close to Barkley. He didn't have Barkley's agility, and their chops in the passing game aren't in the same stratosphere.
As for Sanders, I don't think anyone can touch Sanders as far as his moves. But he, too, was not as much of a factor in the passing game as one would like. But that is nitpicking, as that guy is the best running back I've ever seen. When a coach thinks you've put a foreign substance on your jersey because you are that hard to tackle, you're that good.
McGahee was a better between the tackles runner than SB. He ran with controlled violence. He was a 230lb RB running over and around defenders. I agree he didn’t have the bounce, but he was very nimble and could get to top speed pretty quickly. Miami didn’t need to throw as much to their backs with Johnson and Winslow in the mix. Yet, McGahee still averaged 13 ypc on nearly 30 receptions.
Remember, he still got drafted in the first round despite the horrible spaghetti knee injury. That’s how much the NFL still thought of him.
But these are just personal opinions. And I tend not to be a prisoner of the moment, so I just don’t elevate Barkley because we drafted him or he because he seems more unique.
What does that mean?
If you are suggesting BJ didn’t catch enough passes, which is true, that’s not his fault. That’s the nature of the game back then, especially Auburn’s philosophy...
I think a lot of you are overestimating the situation he is walking into.
This is a bad team, in a new system with massive questions on the oline and terrible depth at the WR.
This isn't the Cowboys and Elliot 2 years ago, with a fantastic, best in a decade type line.
Darkwa/Gallman combined for 282 carries (17.6 carries/game) and 1227 yards (4.35 yards/carry). If Barkley is the feature back from Day 1 (15+ carries/game) and the OL's run blocking is improved with Solder, Hernandez, and Omameh then 1100+ isn't out of the question. At 15 carries per game, Barkley needs just under 4.6 yards/carry to top 1100 yards.
If so, I'm putting Randy Moss ahead of SB. He was nasty at Marshall; a total freak.
Barry Sanders is still like nothing I've ever seen at the college level. His production makes what SB did look JVish.
Did anybody see Willis McGahee at Miami? My God he was brilliant his last year. I would rank him above SB.
I think he was timed at Miami under 4.3 and as strong as a rhino. There was nothing he couldn't do. And despite the awful knee injury in the Fiesta Bowl, he still went on to have a very, very good pro career.
These are draft grades, so surely McGahee would've been knocked down a bit by the injury.
Would he have topped the grade Brandt gave Barkley without the injury? I have no idea.
Quote:
the rest is TBD.
What does that mean?
If you are suggesting BJ didn’t catch enough passes, which is true, that’s not his fault. That’s the nature of the game back then, especially Auburn’s philosophy...
Bo was way before my time, but Barkley's route running has received a lot of praise in addition to *just* his hands. Being able to line him up at WR or in the slot can create some significant mismatches that many other RBs wouldn't be able to take advantage of.
Running between the tackles and putting McGahee over SB, TBD, but, gosh, that's got to be a function in large part of your OL, and good luck SB, difficult to compare, esp. at this point
As I've said over and over again - if he was better than Bo or Barry, why was his production not better?? Yes, college production isn't the end-all be-all, but given the ludicrous superlatives shouldn't he have done better if he truly is THAT amazing?
Can't say SB was the superior collegiate player, and can't say he'll be the better pro. But, his skillset was different and appears a better fit for the modern game.
These are draft grades, so surely McGahee would've been knocked down a bit by the injury.
Would he have topped the grade Brandt gave Barkley without the injury? I have no idea.
Good point. I didn’t think of that as a possibility.
I’m merely comparing what a remember on the field - healthy player to healthy player.
I think Gil Brandt has been grading players for the draft since 1960, so Barkley is his highest graded skill player ever, but that doesn't include players who entered the league before 1960. Jim Brown comes to mind.
Franco Harris? He obviously had a very good career and is in the HOF but his skill set wasn’t anywhere near what Barkley’s is. Barkley may not end up having the career that Harris did but that’s not the point of the article. It also helped that Harris played on a team full of HOFers, including the OL.
Giving someone with Eli's ability to read and our other weapons a yard of time and space by tilting the scale towards the defense one further step back and one further step spread and one more half a second to read...can have enormous impact and few stats
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and Franco Harris apprently.
Franco Harris? He obviously had a very good career and is in the HOF but his skill set wasn’t anywhere near what Barkley’s is. Barkley may not end up having the career that Harris did but that’s not the point of the article. It also helped that Harris played on a team full of HOFers, including the OL.
What Harris did in Pittsburgh is irrelevant. This would be based on what Brandt saw when Harris was at PSU.
I dare anyone to visit youtube and look at Earl Campbell when he was at UT and Herschel Walker when he was at Georgia. Those were different era, but they were tremendous physical specimens who dominated great competition...
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and his ability to elude tacklers and change direction are superb. Bo was an electrifying runner and unstoppable at the college level, but I think SB has him in those categories as a collegian.
As I've said over and over again - if he was better than Bo or Barry, why was his production not better?? Yes, college production isn't the end-all be-all, but given the ludicrous superlatives shouldn't he have done better if he truly is THAT amazing?
Saying college production isn't the end-all be-all, but then turning right around and acting as though it is? To be accurate: Barkley's junior season actually eclipsed Bo's senior season in yards from scrimmage, yards per play and total touchdowns. So, Barkley as a junior outperformed Bo as a senior, if you just compare their first three seasons Barkley absolutely decimates Bo's numbers. There you have it, your "proof" that Saquon Barkely is a better player than Bo Jackson.
So there's that. Of course, if we just need stats why don't we just look up the guys who put up the best numbers each year and not bother with scouting at all and draft accordingly? Why even watch them play?
Then, with regards to Barry Sanders, his junior season is widely regarded as the greatest single collegiate season by any offensive player of all time. So, by that standard, there never was nor there ever will be a better RB prospect than Barry Sanders. Again though, these are prospects ratings, and they grade them in all aspects, so Barkley could be closely rated to Barry in many aspects and eclipse him in other aspects like his size or ability in the passing game.
Then, with regards to Barry Sanders, his junior season is widely regarded as the greatest single collegiate season by any offensive player of all time. So, by that standard, there never was nor there ever will be a better RB prospect than Barry Sanders. Again though, these are prospects ratings, and they grade them in all aspects, so Barkley could be closely rated to Barry in many aspects and eclipse him in other aspects like his size or ability in the passing game.
Do you know what really makes Sanders' year at Oak State so great? It's the fact that he backed it up by being great in the pros.
It truly was a sign of things to come. Good read below...
Sanders' Great Year - ( New Window )
So, I get the backlash against the comparisons, it would be similar to someone comparing a recent draftee to Lawrence Taylor, which would be sacrilege. The thing is, it's not Giant fans making these comparisons. It's Gil Brandt. If Gil Brandt wants to go on record making those comparisons, I'm sure he's fully aware of the context of what he's suggesting, the guy is a walking encyclopedia of football knowledge. Brandt isn't the only one making seemingly outlandish comparisons. Matt Millen compared SB to Sanders as well as Marshall Faulk. Lance Zuerlein who writes the NFL.com capsules/pro player comparisons. John Brenkus, the host of sports science compared him athletically to Barry Sanders. Anonymous scouts in Bob McGinn's draft preview referring to him as a "big Barry Sanders". Anthony "booger" McFarland calling him the best running back since Sanders. You could keep going, but the point is there are a lot off football people heaping all sorts of high level praise Barkley's way, these aren't isolated statements. The difference with Barkely and all these other recent high level prospects, is they kept comparing those RBs with Adrian Peterson, saying "the best since Peterson". To have this many people skip right by Peterson, Faulk, Tomlinson etc and go right to Barry is pretty remarkable.
So, I get the backlash against the comparisons, it would be similar to someone comparing a recent draftee to Lawrence Taylor, which would be sacrilege. The thing is, it's not Giant fans making these comparisons. It's Gil Brandt. If Gil Brandt wants to go on record making those comparisons, I'm sure he's fully aware of the context of what he's suggesting, the guy is a walking encyclopedia of football knowledge. Brandt isn't the only one making seemingly outlandish comparisons. Matt Millen compared SB to Sanders as well as Marshall Faulk. Lance Zuerlein who writes the NFL.com capsules/pro player comparisons. John Brenkus, the host of sports science compared him athletically to Barry Sanders. Anonymous scouts in Bob McGinn's draft preview referring to him as a "big Barry Sanders". Anthony "booger" McFarland calling him the best running back since Sanders. You could keep going, but the point is there are a lot off football people heaping all sorts of high level praise Barkley's way, these aren't isolated statements. The difference with Barkely and all these other recent high level prospects, is they kept comparing those RBs with Adrian Peterson, saying "the best since Peterson". To have this many people skip right by Peterson, Faulk, Tomlinson etc and go right to Barry is pretty remarkable.
I don't want to give the impression that I find the comparison to Sanders outrageous. I absolutely don't. And I wouldn't expect a comparison to AP because the running styles are not similar. AP was down hill, hard, one cut, punishment.
SB is more about avoiding the hit with super-natural quicks, stops on a dime, spins, multiple cuts, instant acceleration, etc. Very, very similar to Sanders.
So that's what this really is - a stylistic comparison.
But where it starts to get murky is when we compare ACTUAL production and consistency. So while SB does have the style, and again that is on the mark, he really is not in the same universe with Sanders on a game to game and consistency basis.
Barkley played one more game than Sanders and had nearly 1,600 yards more! Sanders "worst" game was "only" 154 yards on 25 carries against Missouri. He had four 300+ games.
I mean, the numbers are just insane...and that was when the Big 8 was still very good with Oklahoma, Nebraska, Texas.
Just incredible...
Sanders College Career: 30 games; 3556 yards rushing; 164 yards receiving; 3720 yards scrimmage; 49 TDs
Barkley College Career: 38 games; 3843 yards rushing; 1195 yards receiving; 5038 yards scrimmage; 51 TDs
Sanders Final Year: 11 games; 2628 yards rushing; 106 yards receiving; 2734 yards scrimmage; 37 TDs
Barkley Final Year: 13 games; 1271 yards rushing; 632 yards receiving; 1903 yards scrimmage; 21 TDs