Legendary Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders shows praise for New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley.
New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley continues receiving great praise for his phenomenal rookie season.
At the Super Bowl last week, former Lions RB and Hall of Famer Barry Sanders showed his support for Barkley and what he’s done so far in the NFL.
“Barkley’s great,” Sanders said at the Super Bowl, per Dan Benton of Giants Wire. “He’s a future Hall of Famer.”
It’s tough to say right now if Barkley will exactly make the Hall of Fame, as it’s tough to say anyone is a Hall of Famer after one season. However, Barkley showed this year what he’s made of and what he can continue to be.
In his rookie season, Barkley rushed for 1,307 yards and 11 touchdowns, along with catching 91 balls for 721 yards and four scores through the air. His 2,028 yards from scrimmage led the NFL, beating out Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott and Rams running back Todd Gurley. It was also only the third time in NFL history where a rookie running back surpassed the 2,000-scrimmage yard mark.
His 91 receptions broke an NFL record for single-season receptions by a rookie running back, a record previously set at 88 receptions by Reggie Bush in 2006.
Looking at his numbers and accomplishments, it’s clear why Barkley won numerous awards in the offseason. He recently won the Pepsi Rookie of the Year award along with the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year award. Barkley was also named the FedEx Ground Player of the Year for best running back and made his first career Pro Bowl.
To be considered a surefire Hall of Fame player, a lot more still has to be done. However, getting a cosign from a legendary back like Sanders is a good start.
