INDIANAPOLIS -- If the Browns want Saquon Barkley, they just might have to take him with the No. 1 overall pick after his unprecedented combine performance.
The former Penn State superstar's performance for the history books on Friday has generated serious buzz about the Giants taking him at No. 2 overall -- if here's there. The last time a running back was the first overall selection was 1995, when Ki-Jana Carter -- also a Penn State product -- was picked by the Bengals.
At 6-foot and 233 pounds -- nine pounds heavier than David Johnson, seven pounds heavier than Ezekiel Elliott and three pounds heavier than Le'Veon Bell -- Barkley exploded with a 41-inch vertical leap.
For perspective, Johnson had the same 41-inch vert. Zeke's was 32.5. Bell's was 31.5. Insane, right?
His official 4.40 in the 40-yard dash was outrageous too, and that came after 29 bench press reps yesterday.
Starting in 2000, there've been 49 running backs who've run faster than Barkley's 4.40. However, just three of those runners were more than 230 pounds: Beanie Wells, Mario Fannin, and Knile Davis. Wells and Davis had a vertical of 33.5 inches. Fannin's was 37.5.
Bascially, Barkley has proven to be the most explosive "big" back to participate in the combine in at least the past 18 years.
He also clocked a 4.24 time in the short-shuttle drill, which was the eighth-fastest among running backs in attendance. The list of superlatives doesn't stop there: check out how Barkley stacks up with players at different position on key drills.
Despite a recent trend of highly successful running backs picked outside the first round -- including Alvin Kamara, Kareem Hunt, Kenyan Drake and David Johnson -- we've also witnessed ball-carriers get picked in the top 10 in each of the past three drafts.
Barkley did everything possible at the combine to be the first running back picked in the top two since Reggie Bush in 2006.
