https://www.timesunion.com/sports/article/Big-Blue-bags-Barkley-12868135.php
Big Blue bags Barkley
Running back out of Penn State taken by Giants second, Jets take QB Darnold 3rd
Updated 12:12 am, Friday, April 27, 2018
The New York Giants passed on an heir apparent to two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning and took a running back that many think is the best to come out of college in a decade.
With the second pick overall, the Giants selected Penn State's Saquon Barkley, whom many football experts consider the best running back to enter the NFL since Adrian Peterson came out of Oklahoma in 2007. One pick later, the Jets selected quarterback Sam Darnold out of Southern California.
Many draft pundits projected several months ago that Darnold would be the No. 1 pick in this year's draft, and still tabbed him as the best overall quarterback of this year's class. But after Cleveland kicked off the draft by taking Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield and the Giants selected Penn State running back Barkley, the Jets honed in on Darnold, who met with them for a private workout late in the pre-draft process.
It seemed unlikely for the last several months that Darnold would end up with the Jets, especially after their 5-11 season didn't quite play into the "Suck For Sam" campaign pushed by some fans who preferred even more losses in the hopes that a year of misery would translate to a greater chance to land the star quarterback.
After striking out on luring Kirk Cousins in free agency, the Jets positioned themselves to be able to get one of the top available QBs in the draft by moving up three spots and acquiring the third selection from Indianapolis in a trade last month. It cost New York the No. 6 pick, two second-round selections this year and a second-rounder next year — a steep price to pay, but one general manager Mike Maccagnan was comfortable with.
Barkley, who entered the draft after his junior season, has all the ingredients to become a great. He has quickness, speed, strength, character and can pass protect. He also can catch and is a dynamic returner.
"He's a tremendous talent," Giants general manager Dave Gettleman said. "You put the film on of a defensive guy and if they're playing Penn State, then I'm watching Saquon. He's one of those guys that my mother could have scouted. She could have figured that one out."
The Giants need help, coming off a 3-13 season that cost coach Ben McAdoo and general manager Jerry Reese their jobs.
Drafting Barkley gives new coach Pat Shurmur a player who can do it all, while showing the Giants believe the 37-year-old Manning has more in the tank.
In three seasons at Penn State, Barkley finished as the Nittany Lions' second all-time leading rusher with 3,843 yards, including 1,271 this past season when he scored 138 points. He had 18 rushing touchdowns, pushing his career total to school-record 43. His 53 overall touchdowns also are a school record.
Coming out of the backfield, he had 54 receptions this past season. His 1,195 career yards receiving is a school record for a running back.
Barkley ended his career as the school's career all-purpose yards leader with 5,538 yards.
Orleans Darkwa led the Giants with 751 yards rushing in 2017.
Darnold, a Capistrano Beach, Calif. native who has been lauded for his leadership ability, played only two seasons at USC and went 20-4 as the starter.
The 6-foot-4, 225-pound Darnold redshirted his first year, and then was selected the Pac-12 offensive player of the year. He led USC to a victory over Penn State in the Rose Bowl, setting the game's record with five touchdown passes. Darnold also won the Archie Griffin Award, given to college football's most valuable player for the entire season — and was the first freshman to do so.
Later in the first round, the Buffalo Bills moved up five spots in the order by making a trade with Tampa Bay to select Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen seventh overall on Thursday night. Tampa Bay acquired the Bills No. 12 pick and Buffalo's two second-round selections this year: 53rd and 56th.
Allen's draft stock fell less than 24 hours before the first round began after Yahoo Sports reported the quarterback sent offensive tweets in 2012 and 2013.
The Patriots used their two first-round picks in the NFL draft to plug a hole on their offensive line and to bolster their depth at running back.
They selected 6-2, 302-pound offensive lineman Isaiah Wynn out of Georgia with the 23rd overall pick. They then chose 5-foot-11, 215-pound Georgia running back Sony Michel with the 31st overall pick.
