New York Giants rookie running back Saquon Barkley spent the 2018 season proving to the football world that Big Blue made the right choice in selecting him at No. 2 overall in the NFL Draft.
One of the men he sold was legend Barry Sanders, who after just 16 games, fully expects to see Barkley’s bust next to his own in the Pro Football Hall of Fame someday.
“Barkley’s great,” Sanders said at the Super Bowl. “He’s a future Hall of Famer.”
Sanders and Barkley met a few times throughout the 2018 season, and each time they did, the rookie picked the legend’s brain. The advice was often the same.
“Training,” Barkley said via NJ Advance Media. “Keep training, keep your speed, and take care of your body. I was just kind of in awe of just being in the same vicinity of Barry Sanders.”
Even before being selected by the Giants, Barkley drew comparisons to Sanders and it didn’t take long for the NFL world to see why. And while we’re not ready to thrust Barkley into Sanders’ league just yet, it’s clear that his ceiling is on par with some of football’s greatest of all-time.
