Post by zepp on Apr 23, 2018 7:00:34 GMT -5
If the Giants draft Barkley, this will not end well for Gettleman or Shurmur. And two years from now, the Giants will be looking for a new GM, head coach, and starting QB. I've done my homework on this Barkley character and I think he is another bust from Penn State, like many other Penn State RBs busts that came before him.
I have finally found an article that corroborates many of my own observations on Barkley.
dawgpounddaily.com/2018/04/07/cleveland-browns-a-case-against-saquon-barkley/
Barkley plays running back like Manziel played quarterback.
Barkley is at his best when the play breaks down. . .Manziel and Barkley became so good at making something out of nothing that they began to look for ways to make plays with their athleticism. At times they did this despite the structure of the play. Just watch the Penn State vs Rutgers game again.
There are plays where the Penn State offensive lines created holes big enough for even Trent Richardson to run through and Barkley fails to hit the hole. Instead takes the hand off and immediately cuts back. He doesn’t even look at where the hole is supposed to be given the structure of the play.
This is the NFL. The game is won or lost by players who can play in structure. Manziel never learned to play in structure — combine this with his off-field issues — and now he is no longer in the league. . .Where will Barkley fall in all of this? Will he learn to hit the proper hole? Will he learn to play within the structure of the play design? His athleticism has carried him this far, but he will need to adapt to be successful in the NFL. Not everyone can adapt.
Another issue for Barkley is a corollary to the structure issue. When a play breaks down, Barkley immediately cuts outside and tries to get the corner. This works in college where he was bigger and faster than most players on the field. He hits a corner and is off to the races for a highlight to be repeated ad nauseum on ESPN.
But re-watch the Ohio State game above. Barkley tries to take a lot of plays outside only to be run to the sideline by players who are just as fast as he is and who understand taking proper angles. All of a sudden those huge runs to the sideline turned into two or three yard gains.
The big play around the corner is not there in the NFL. Barkley will get his gains once he decides to hit the hole the play is designed to create instead of looking to bounce it outside. His needs to improve his vision. He needs to decisively hit a hole. He needs to reign in the idea that he can get the corner and outrun everybody.
Barkley could be a home run or he could be the next player in a long line of athletic freaks who could never figure out how to transition to the NFL game. Either way, he is not a sure bet.
Barkley is at his best when the play breaks down. . .Manziel and Barkley became so good at making something out of nothing that they began to look for ways to make plays with their athleticism. At times they did this despite the structure of the play. Just watch the Penn State vs Rutgers game again.
There are plays where the Penn State offensive lines created holes big enough for even Trent Richardson to run through and Barkley fails to hit the hole. Instead takes the hand off and immediately cuts back. He doesn’t even look at where the hole is supposed to be given the structure of the play.
This is the NFL. The game is won or lost by players who can play in structure. Manziel never learned to play in structure — combine this with his off-field issues — and now he is no longer in the league. . .Where will Barkley fall in all of this? Will he learn to hit the proper hole? Will he learn to play within the structure of the play design? His athleticism has carried him this far, but he will need to adapt to be successful in the NFL. Not everyone can adapt.
Another issue for Barkley is a corollary to the structure issue. When a play breaks down, Barkley immediately cuts outside and tries to get the corner. This works in college where he was bigger and faster than most players on the field. He hits a corner and is off to the races for a highlight to be repeated ad nauseum on ESPN.
But re-watch the Ohio State game above. Barkley tries to take a lot of plays outside only to be run to the sideline by players who are just as fast as he is and who understand taking proper angles. All of a sudden those huge runs to the sideline turned into two or three yard gains.
The big play around the corner is not there in the NFL. Barkley will get his gains once he decides to hit the hole the play is designed to create instead of looking to bounce it outside. His needs to improve his vision. He needs to decisively hit a hole. He needs to reign in the idea that he can get the corner and outrun everybody.
Barkley could be a home run or he could be the next player in a long line of athletic freaks who could never figure out how to transition to the NFL game. Either way, he is not a sure bet.
Barkley is a risky pick for all of the reasons mentioned above. I also have concerns about Barkley's off-the-field behavior. Thanks to Julio, we know that Barkley's father is a thug, a criminal (spent time on Riker's Island), a guy who takes drugs, gets in fights with cops, and likes to carry around guns. Ok, we can't blame Barkley for the fact that his father is a thug. But I don't like Barkley's "hero" attitude, unwillingness to play within the structure. I don't like the fact that Barkley is already focusing on his brand and image. He has already stated that he wants to be the face of a franchise and the face of the NFL. Can Barkley first win rookie of the year before he starts thinking about his brand and image? Can he make one pro bowl game before Barkley starts talking about being the face of the NFL? Has he ever heard of modesty?
Still, the bigger issue for me is the fact that Barkley is the Johnny Manziel of the RBs--he was good in college when a play broke down, just like Manziel was, but that skill doesn't translate well to the NFL.
Sure, the upside is there, Barkley could be a stud NFL RB, I don't deny that. But I see a high bust potential too and that bust potential combined with the fact that you don't take a RB as high as 2 (when there are teams willing to trade up for a QB) makes this a pretty easy decision for the Giants.
I completely disagree with this and IMO is completely off base. Everyone and their mother knew that Manziel wouldn't make it in the NFL. He didn't have the physical tools or the attitude or maturity. All he had was good college play. If anything Barkley is the exact opposite of Manziel. He has the physical tools and then some and he has the attitude to play along with the good college play. The only negative people can point to, which is splitting hairs, is he had a couple of bad games against teams that stacked the box against him in an offense where he was the only weapon. What do you think will happen in the NFL if they put 8 in the box to stop Barkley and Eli winks at OBJ out wide or Engram or Sheppard? They won't be able to do it. Barkley will open up the offense more than anyone can dream of. He is more than just a RB. He can catch the ball out of the backfield which means you can line him up out wide. He also knows how to block which is something a lot of RB's struggle with. He's more than just a runner. He completely changes the make up of your offense and how defenses plan for you.
Overall he is almost the perfect prospect. There is a reason why everyone analyzing this draft has him rated as the top prospect and its not even close. This idea that you don't draft a RB 2nd is preposterous. You wouldn't draft LaDanian Tomlinson 2nd? The Cowboys drafted Zeke at 4 and they didn't have a young QB on the roster and instead just had an aging 30 something QB who was also injury prone! Yet no one batted an eye because Zeke had talent and look what he did to make that offense better. Barkley has been ranked as better than Zeke. What kind of haul would it take to make you trade out of the position with Lawrence Taylor on the board? You can't be cute with these drafts and treat it like fantasy football. If there is HOF talent on the board, which Barkley clearly is, you take it.
If anything the high risk/high reward prospects at the top are ALL of the QB's. Reason is they all have bright red flags that Barkley doesn't have. You can't coach out of having smallish hands which makes it hard for you to hold onto the ball, you can't coach out of concussion and injury issues, you can't coach out of being inaccurate, and you can't coach out of being a jerk. That said if Barkley is gone and only if he's gone, the best QB to take is Darnold because his red flag appears to be the most fixable. But at that point the smarter move, if barkley is gone, is to trade down and grab Nelson. The wrong move is to pass on Barkley all together. You don't pass on play makers for great olineman. Sorry you just don't not drafting this high.
The only way DG will be regretting this pick is if he takes a QB and he knows it. If that QB doesn't hit it will set the franchise back 5-8 years and there is already evidence that busting out of these QB's has higher chance than what you want. Barkley's chance of busting are minimal at worst. His talent is off the charts, his work ethic is there, his attitude is there, his maturity is there. He has a better chance of hitting, and hitting big than he does busting. DG also realizes that if Barkley is half the back everyone feels he can be the Giants will be competing for the playoffs THIS YEAR. There is less a chance of regret going with Barkley than there is going with the QB.
The only rule with taking a player at 2 is he needs to be a play maker that makes an impact. He has to pass the HOF jacket test. Barkley does that. Those QB's do not. That doesn't mean they won't but Barkley has the better shot.