DALLAS — It’s official: Saquon Barkley is joining the National Football League.
The Penn State running back was drafted with the 2nd overall pick by the New York Giants.
The 5-11, 230-pound Barkley left Penn State after leading the Nittany Lions to an 11-2 record and a 35-28 victory over Washington in the Fiesta Bowl. In that game, Barkley rushed for 137 yards and two touchdowns, including a 92-yard scamper in the second quarter. He also caught seven passes for 38 yards.
Barkley spent most of the season as a Heisman Trophy candidate, but wound up finishing fourth in the balloting after Penn State lost back-to-back games to Ohio State (39-38) and Michigan State (27-24) late in the season, ending their bid for the College Football Playoffs. Barkley finished his final season at Penn State with 1,271 yards and 18 touchdowns on 217 rush attempts, and 632 receiving yards and three TDs on 54 catches.
Barkley finished his three-year career as Penn State’s all-time second-leading rusher, with 3,843 yards. His 43 rushing touchdowns and 53 total scores set school records, as did his 5,538 career all-purpose yards. He is the only player in Penn State history to finish with more than 3,000 career rushing and 1,000 career receiving yards.
