Penn State running back Saquon Barkley is a near lock to go in the top five of the 2018 NFL Draft should he forgo his senior season in Happy Valley.
It’s a common belief among mainstream scouts that he’s a generational type running back and will be one of the highest selected players at his position in recent NFL Draft history.
Despite this, Barkley continues to publicly indicate that he has not yet made a decision to enter the draft.
During a Q&A with the press in the lead up to the Nittany Lions’ Fiesta Bowl matchup with Washington this upcoming weekend, Barkley reiterated this point.
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
Some might want to take this with a grain of salt. How in the world could Barkley up his draft stock any more by returning to Penn State for the 2018 season? As we mentioned above, he’s already a near lock to go in the top five. Heck, some have even concluded that the Browns should take him No. 1 overall.
On their other hand, this isn’t a new stance from Barkley. Following the regular season, the All-American noted that he would need to take more time to make a decision, and that said decision would include talking to head coach James Franklin.
For him, it appears that a decision has more to do with where he’ll be drafted.
Barkley heads into the Fiesta Bowl having recorded 1,728 total yards and 19 touchdowns while averaging an absurd seven yards per touch. We’re sure to get an announcement on his intentions shortly after this weekend’s game. Until then, it’s a guessing game.