3 reasons why Saquon Barkley will never fulfill his NFL potential

Whether fans were fortunate enough to attend in person, or simply flick on their television sets, there was an overwhelming need to witness Saquon Barkley play during his collegiate career at Penn State University.

Despite his somewhat diminutive size, standing at 5’11”, Barkley ran with power, trucking over helpless defenders. At times, when he found himself at a numbers disadvantage, Barkley made oncoming pass rushers look silly as they reached and grasped at air.

With three-straight, thousand-yard seasons in college, the New York Giants brass salivated as the video-game-like moves that made Barkley must-see TV were being implemented at the next level.

In Barkley’s first season, he easily rushed for 1,307 yards and 11 scores, making his first, and so far only, Pro Bowl appearance in the process. Year two was a bit of a down year, but still, Barkley broke through the thousand-yard threshold once again.

However, the once-promising career of Barkley has gotten completely off track. In 2020, Barkley suffered a torn ACL in just the second game of the season. This past year, seemingly back to full health, Barkley repeatedly came up short during big-time spots, rushing for just 593 yards in 13 games. Despite being 25 years of age and still in possession of incredible talent, we’ll tell you why it’s unlikely Barkley will fulfill his NFL potential.

#3 Too shifty and not enough power

Long before Barkley dazzled college crowds while leaving his opposition in awe, Reggie Bush did the same. During his college days, Bush led USC fans to nightly shows on the turf. He bounced in and out of his cuts, spun defenders around, and routinely left his opponents huffing and puffing as he made a beeline to the end zone.

Ironically enough, in addition to their similar games, both Barkley and Bush were selected with the second overall pick of their respective drafts. Bush was all smiles as he stepped onto the NFL field. But ultimately, his elusiveness and penchant for the dramatics were ineffective during his time as a pro.

Although Barkley caught the NFL off guard in his rookie season, since his debut year, his numbers have continued to plummet.

2018 Rushing yards per game: 81.7
2019 Rushing yards per game: 77.2
2020 Rushing yards per game: (played only two games)
2021 Rushing yards per game: 45.6

The slick moves and stutter steps have grown more and more ineffective over the years. And with Barkley not known as a power runner, he’ll continue to flail and run out of room as he attempts to evade relentless pass rushers as opposed to running over them.

#2 Not a fan of contact

Chiseled to the bone, Saquon Barkley is a physical specimen. Regardless of his 5’11” height, Barkley routinely weighs in at over 230 pounds. But while he appears to be in supreme physical shape, he's far from being a rough and rugged runner of the football, as Barkley attempts to avoid contact at all costs.

In short yardage situations, Barkley is more likely to bounce on the outside to use his speed on the edge. Also, in pass-blocking situations, Barkley is frequently run over due to a lack of effort in that department.

Admittedly, in a moment of candor, Tiki Barber, a former three-time Pro Bowler with the Giants, lambasted Barkley for his refusal to get his hands dirty and pick up the blitz.

Speed, finesse, and an endless array of dance moves will draw the oohs and ahhhs of the crowd, but until Barkley is willing to prove that he can become more than just that and add a bit of physicality to his game, he’ll continue to struggle going forward.

#1 Defenses will continue to key in on him

The New York Giants have handed the proverbial keys to the car to perpetual underachiever, Daniel Jones. Brilliance has been flashed by the former number six overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, but more times than not, fans have been bemused by his head-scratching performances over the years.

As it presently stands, his listless and ineffective play hasn’t offered Barkley a reprieve when he stands in the backfield, patiently waiting to receive the ball on a handoff. Barkley often sees stacked boxes and relentless defenders who simply bypass the innocuous Jones on their way to their star running back.

This upcoming season, Barkley will be hoping that Jones has added more to his offensive arsenal. However, with three years of tape to study, it appears incredibly unlikely that Jones will become a big enough threat to allow Barkley to thrive.