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Saquon Barkley still weighing options on draft decision
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Saquon Barkley has made it clear that he won’t make a decision on his future until after Penn State’s Fiesta Bowl game. Still, there’s little doubt that the star running back will opt to skip his senior season and declare for the 2018 NFL Draft.
For everyone on the outside, it seems like an easy decision. Barkley, who has nothing left to prove at the college level, could easily skip his final season and start preparing for the NFL Combine and draft night in the coming weeks. Nobody would blame him for taking that route. But this is a tougher decision for the running back.
According to Jaime Baker of WTAJ, Barkley said it may seem like an easy decision, but there’s a “ton of factors” that still need to be considered before making the call.
Still no decision on the NFL for Saquon Barkley, who says he’s fully focused on the Fiesta Bowl. He said while it may seem like an easy choice, there’s a ton of factors he needs to consider before making the call pic.twitter.com/IRZzBHUV2L
— Jaime Baker (@JBaker_WTOV) December 26, 2017
Barkley finished the year with 2,154 all-purpose yards and accounted for 22 total touchdowns in 2017, helping the Nittany Lions to a 10-2 record and a Fiesta Bowl berth. 1,134 yards and 16 touchdowns came as a running back.
Numbers alone don’t speak to how talented the junior ball-carrier truly is. Time after time, Barkley showed off incredible athleticism, hurdling defenders, sprinting past opponents and making plays in nearly every facet of the game. With the career expectancy of a running back in the NFL beginning to dwindle, it seems as though Barkley may have a prime opportunity to get a head start.
Barkley still has some thinking to do, though. In a few days, we’ll know what decision the superstar running back has decided to make.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB