Chicago Bears Draft Scout: Saquon Barkley

Sure, the Chicago Bears may not be in the market for a running back but what about a dynamic do it all player? Could they resist if Saquon Barkley was there at number eight?

The Bears have some decent running backs. They have Jordan Howard who has been one of their most consistent players in the last two seasons. There is the undersized but highly effective Tarik Cohen who burst onto the scene in his first professional game. After that, there is Benny Cunningham who may or may not be back. Then you have the mysterious Taquan Mizzell.

Now the Bears don’t need a running back but what if Barley became available at the eighth spot in the 2018 NFL Draft? Would the Bears even be the slightest bit tempted to see what their offense would be like with a dynamic playmaker like that? Sure, they have some other guys who can make plays, but a game-changing player could be used heavily on offense.

Enter Saquon Barkley.

Barkley, a junior early draft entrant who hails from Penn State, is a do it all player that can run the ball, return punts and kickoffs, and split out to be a wide receiver. He can make defenses pay attention to him and can change the way opponents game plan.

During his time at Penn State, Barkley rushed for 3843 yards on 671 carries for an average of 5.7 yards per carry. He scored 43 touchdowns on the ground. Barkley snagged 102 passes for 1195 yards and eight touchdowns averaging 11.7 yards per catch. He also returned kickoffs.

Barkley stands 5’11” and weighs approximately 228 pounds. They don’t have his measurables out yet, but he’s lightning quick on the field as we have seen several times during the 2017 college football season.

Let’s now delve into his strengths and weaknesses and find out what makes him tick.