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New York Giants: Don’t let Sam Darnold comparisons stop you from seeing what Saquon Barkley can do

By John Carroll Jr.

New York Giants. Saquon Barkley (Photo by Mike Lawrie/Getty Images)
New York Giants. Saquon Barkley (Photo by Mike Lawrie/Getty Images) /
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The New York Giants drafted Saquon Barkley with the second pick and his career is officially underway. That is a fact. So, do not let the Sam Darnold comparisons get in the way of appreciating what Barkley can do.

The New York Giants already have gotten a big run and TD from their prized draft selection, Saquon Barkley. He has played one game and already showed his immense potential.

However, for some reason, he will constantly be compared or juxtaposed to Sam Darnold, the Jets Qb who was drafted right after him.

Saquon Barkley might not be a future franchise QB, the most coveted position in sports, but he can still be a franchise player.

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So, these comparisons with Sam Darnold need to stop. Who cares if the Giants didn’t draft a QB in the draft and the Jets did, that does not mean Saquon will be a bust.

The generic argument by the masses here is that if Darnold leads the Jets to the Super Bowl and championships and the Giants don’t win one that the pick would be a bust.

There is some validity to that argument, but it also has some lack of substance.

For one, Saquon and Darnold play different positions. So to measure their outright value in that aspect is difficult. QBs obviously means more, but a really good running back can have more intangible values.

Also, the Jets are eyeing down a championship in the future, not in 2018. They are rebuilding a franchise while the Giants are attempting to win a title sooner rather than later.

So right now, Saquon being successful means even more than Darnold continuing his success. The franchises are in different mindsets with different goals.

The comparisons between Saquon and Darnold should stop at New York and top five 2018 Draft selection.

That is it. There is no way to measure value now.

Yes, it would look poorly if down the road and the Jets are able to win a title and the Giants do not, but that does not mean Saquon was a wrong selection or a bust.

Darnold, to his credit, has talent, but he could have just ended up being drafted to the right team at the right time. Success is one place does not guarantee success in another.

Plus, there still exists a situation where another draft pick in a different city makes both of them look like busts if they go on to have success.

The bottom line is this and it what we have known since his freshman year at Penn State. Saquon Barkley is a heck of a player with natural abilities unmatched by many we have seen before him.

If he lives up to his potential and the Giants just happen to never win a Super Bowl, that is not on him. The Giants still have so much time to try to find a QB who is even similar to Darnold and one they can win with, it did not have to be this year.

What if Kyle Lauletta ends up complementing Barkley well? Then the Giants will be back to contenders.

If Barkley ends up having a Hall of Fame career and Darnold does too, then what would be the issue? They both did their jobs and they would be loved by their respective fan bases.

So, please stop comparing them so much. The only way Saquon Barkley will end up being seen as a poor pick or seen as a bust is if he literally becomes a bad football player.

So, don’t worry about what the Jets do and do not worry about what Darnold does if you are a Giants fans. The circumstances are different and the players simply share a market.

Next. Jacob deGrom starts are the hottest thing in New York right now. dark

Just enjoy the freakish stuff Saquon Barkley is able to do on the field and blame the Giants down the road if they don’t win a Super Bowl anytime soon. It would have nothing to do with them drafting or not drafting a QB, they got a great player at the time they should have.

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