Pro Football Focus recently released their All-Era NFL Prospect Team, which determined the “best of the best from seven years of grading college football prospects.”
Unsurprisingly, not a single member of the New York Giants actually made the team. However, one did draw an “honorable mention.” That came by way of running back Saquon Barkley (Penn State), who checked in behind Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook.
Dalvin Cook, FSU
Honorable mention: Saquon Barkley, Penn State
Don’t get it twisted, Cook wasn’t a second-round pick because of talent. He was an unrivaled big-play threat behind one of the worst offensive lines in college football. In his final season at FSU, he led the country with 91 broken tackles and had 4.2 of his 6.1 yards per attempt come after contact. The year prior, Cook had 34 runs gain 15-plus yards, accounting for 1,066 of his 1,696 yards that season. That all has borne out in the league, too.
While no other Giants draftees made the team, a few potential 2021 NFL Draft targets did.
LSU’s Ja’Marr Chase led the way at wide receiver with Alabama’s DeVonta Smith earning an honorable mention. Alabama’s Jaylen Waddle also earned an honorable mention at slot receiver.
Meanwhile, Florida’s Kyle Pitts earned the top spot at tight end. He has become the consensus pick for New York in most mock drafts, and he’s rapidly becoming a favorite here at Giants Wire.
As far as Barkley, it’s a nice reminder of how sought-after he was coming out of college. He had and still has superstar potential, but will need to buck his recent injury trend in order to reach his ceiling.
