Saquon Barkley should be the top pick in the 2018 NFL Draft

While certain positions often are prioritized over others, no player is better equipped to make an instant impact in the NFL than Saquon Barkley…

There’s no doubt that Penn State running back Saquon Barkley should already be running on Sundays.

The top running back prospect in the country is running all over a very strong Iowa defense, and he’s doing it by creating and forcing missed tackles where he has no business doing so.

Here’s a little taste of what I’m talking about:

What Barkley does on a week-to-week basis is unlike anything I’ve seen. We have the dreaded ‘better than Adrian Peterson’ comparisons popping up already, which happen just about every year. In this case, they may actually be justified.

The ability of Barkley is unparalleled in football right now. I don’t know of a back that has the type of open-field elusiveness, breakaway speed, power, and run after the catch ability like this guy.

I don’t mean to go on and on with hyperbole here, but Barkley should very clearly be the top overall pick in next year’s draft. He’s set to be the biggest difference maker from this year’s draft class, at least in terms of immediate impact.

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There are a number of quarterbacks who will be in contention for the top pick as well, but each one of them carries a significant question mark moving forward to the next level. Will the NFL team picking first overall overlook those issues and pick a quarterback anyway, or will they do the right thing and pick Barkley?

The former is probably the case.

That being said, Barkley is certainly deserving of the top overall selection with the type of impact he is capable of making on a week-to-week basis. He is NFL-ready, and will be able to contribute as an every-down back immediately upon his arrival.

It would be a really tough call for an NFL GM — especially one in need of a quarterback — to make, but it might be the right choice in the end.

Barkley needs to be the most coveted player in next year’s draft, and he may not be.