Barkley unlikely to go first in NFL draft

Barkley is a combination of size, speed, strength, explosion and agility, better than the top running backs taken in the first round of each of the past three drafts — Todd Gurley (2015), Ezekiel Elliott (2016) and Leonard Fournette (2017). At least, that’s the opinion of NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock. After setting a Penn State power-clean record by lifting 405 pounds, Barkley did 29 reps in the 225pound bench press Thursday, more than most of the offensive-linemen at the combine.

He will run the 40-yard dash Friday, and that is expected to be another eyeopener.

“Really, all it is, is confirmation of his physical gifts,” Mayock said. “It ought to be a victory celebration. He’s going to walk out of [the combine] four days later and everyone’s going to go, ‘Wow, he’s just as good or better than wethought he was.’”

“I try to be a versatile player,” Barkley said, standing at a podium before a horde of national media. “I feel whether the ball is at the 99yard line or the 1-yard line, I can find a way to get into the end zone. I can do it all. I feel I can go over top you, I can beat you with speed, I can beat you with some wiggle, I can run through you.

“It’s something I try to improve on every single day. That’s why I watch film from a lot of great backs, the [Le’Veon] Bells, the [Todd] Gurleys, the [Zeke] Elliotts, and try to take part of their gameand add to mine.”

Barkley weighed in at 233 pounds at the combine, slightly above his playing weight at Penn State where he said he ranged from 228 to 232 pounds. Typically, running backs come to the combine weighing less than their playing weight, hoping to run a faster 40 time. But Barkley attributed the few extra pounds to sitting around, meeting with teams and not having the time to work out.

“You’re in here for two days, sitting down a little, eating a lot of food and meeting with a lot of teams,” Barkley said. “You’re not really moving. I guess you can say I weighed a little heavier than I usually do.”

Houston Texans coach Bill O’Brien might need a small reintroduction to Barkley at the combine, but he will never forget his first and only meeting with him. Barkley, then a sophomore at Whitehall (Pa.) High School, came on a recruiting visit to Penn State in 2013, even though he had verbally committed to Rutgers. O’Brien was in his second and final season as the Nittany Lions coach.

“He came to the Michigan game, and we beat Michigan in four overtimes,” O’Brien said at the combine. “He came into the locker room after the game, and I just remember him being very excited to be there and I said, yeah, but you’re committed to Rutgers. And I think at that time he said, ‘No, no, no,’ one of those things.

“He was a great guy in the time that we got to know him and then James [Franklin] came in, recruited him. He committed to James and his crew, and I mean the guy’s been an unbelievable player.

“I’ve never met him other than that night at that game, but he seems like such a great guy, and [I’m] looking forward to meeting him here. He’s meant a lot to Penn State, I knowthat.”

Barkley is going to mean a lot to some NFL coach who drafts him.