BITE ON BARK’
Tiki: Giants should jump at Saquon — and watch him make history
Tiki Barber sits atop the Giants’ career rushing list and there is no debate he is the best running back in franchise history. Barber, though, realizes his lofty perch will be less secure if his former team takes Saquon Barkley in next week’s draft.
That rushing record he is so proud of ? It could fall.
“Absolutely,’’ Barber told The Post on Wednesday. “It definitely can go down.’’
Given that Barber’s total of 10,449 rushing yards is more than 3,500 yards ahead of the nextclosest Giant, Rodney Hampton, he could stand alone for years to come. If the Giants do the expected and use the No. 2 pick on Barkley, and if Barkley stays healthy, he could eventually supplant Barber, who spent 10 years wearing Giants’ blue. Fully realizing this, Barber insists he knows what could happen next.
“Take him!’’ he said. “Stop thinking about it so much.’’
If the Browns take a quarterback at No. 1 — the smart money remains they go for Sam Darnold — Barkley will be there for general manager Dave Gettleman and the Giants. Barber sees this is a no-brainer, with a caveat. Before making the selection, the Giants should explore trade-down options, with teams perhaps overeager to give up draft picks to get up to No. 2 to find their next franchise quarterback.
“The Giants never pick this high, and so if you have this asset sitting at No. 2 and people are so desperate for quarterbacks, why not get some value out of it?’’ said Barber, who retired after a 1,662-yard rushing season in 2006 and, among his many post-playing career ventures, is co-host of the “Tiki and Tierney’’ show on CBS Sports Radio. “It’s not an emotional decision, because if it was me, straight up, I’m taking Saquon Barkley.’’
As far as the quality of the player, Barber sees a gem in Barkley, and not only for what he can do in the running game and passing game. Barber was there when Eli Manning broke in in 2004 and sees Barkley rejuvenating the back end of Manning’s career.
“That’s when Eli has been at his best, when he’s had a great run game to complement what he does,’’ Barber said. “When you look at the totality, this is why the Giants drafting a quarterback doesn’t make sense. You don’t need one right now. It’s not like Eli is decrepit and he can’t move and he can’t throw the out-route and the go-route anymore. He can do all of those things, he just hasn’t had time to.’’
Barber has spoken twice with Barkley and says, “I love Saquon.’’ This is not an affection born only out of what Barkley can do on the field.
“He’s so polished and aware of himself and his place that it gives me the thought he’s gonna be a great pro,’’ Barber said. “He’s willing to learn and has a humility about him despite how great he is.’’
Barber liked hearing how Barkley spent time not long ago with Curtis Martin, playing chess and picking the brain of the Hall of Fame running back. Barber also appreciated Barkley, after the season, speaking with him on the radio while sitting on the steps outside a class he was about to head into at Penn State.
Barber sees Barkley as a perfect physical specimen, but not yet a perfect runner; he needs to limit negative-yardage plays by slightly altering his approach in the NFL.
“He has to realize home runs in the NFL come from 3 yards and a cloud of dust, maybe get a 7-yarder and eventually you pop one,’’ Barber said. “In college you can juke people around for a little bit and make a big play happen. It doesn’t work in the NFL. He still needs to learn that. He can be coached out of that. He’s big enough not to have to shy away from hits. He wanted to be the hero on every play but the hero doesn’t happen on every single play.’’
The Giants have not had a 1,000-yard rusher since Ahmad Bradshaw in 2012. Their leading rusher in 2017 was Orleans Darkwa, with 751 yards. With Barkley, the Giants will lose their over-reliance on Odell Beckham Jr. and present Manning with options to keep defensive coordinators guessing. This is what Barber envisions.
“If you have an opportunity and you can’t move out of that pick, Saquon Barkley is the best player in this draft,’’ Barber said. “Physically he is a freak. Mentally and emotionally he’s solid. I would love to see him come to the Giants.’’