The NFL’s No. 2 overall pick Saquon Barkley had a relatively quiet start in his first game, and then broke loose like we all knew he would.
With the Giants down 20-9 early in the fourth quarter, Barkley ran up into a sea of blue and white jerseys, before cutting outside, and sprinting down the sideline for six.
WELCOME TO THE NFL, @SAQUON!
— NFL (@NFL) September 9, 2018
1st TD of his career!
: FOX #GiantsPride #Kickoff2018 pic.twitter.com/Pl5gOvEhAB
Barkley had a similar run in college. It came in the 2017 Rose Bowl as a sophomore, when he bounced out of another pile. The only difference was that Barkley didn’t have the cutback to the other end of the field to seal the deal:
SB Nation’s Alex Kirshner said it pretty well at the time, and it still stands today:
He’s a terrifying mix of speed, agility, and power
The Giants are going to be pleased with his start. The team hasn’t had a 1,000-yard rusher since the 2012 season, when Ahmad Bradshaw just eclipsed the mark with 1,015.
There are numerous plays you can look to if you’re looking for the potential in Barkley — you certainly don’t have to go far.
For Barkley, these big, explosive runs are just muscle memory at this point. That’s good news for Big Blue.