Baker vs. Barkley: Who Wins?
Baker vs. Barkley: Who Wins?
The NFL is loaded with young talent. With a rookie class that included Phillip Lindsay, Darius Leonard, Sam Darnold, and Leighton Vander Esch, the NFL has a lot to be excited about for the future ahead. Two specific rookies stood out above all and are looking to dominate the league for years to come: Browns QB Baker Mayfield and Giants RB Saquon Barkley. Either or can claim the Rookie of the Year trophy, here we will look at the cases for both of these players.
Baker Mayfield
From a walk-on at Texas Tech to a walk-on at Oklahoma, to win the Heisman Trophy, and to being criticized for being the #1 Overall pick in this year’s draft, Baker Mayfield’s road has been nothing but easy. Through all of this, Mayfield led a team that went 0-16 to a 7-8-1 record the following year. In games he appeared in (Week 3), the Browns went 7-7, which is a big improvement to the year before. On the season, he threw for 27 TD and 14 INT with 3,725 passing yards. The 27 TD broke Peyton Manning’s single-season rookie record he set in 1998. His off the field antics make him easily unlikeable, but his performance on the field is like no other and has proven he can step toe to toe with the top defenses in the NFL, as he put up 24 points against the Ravens in Week 17. Mayfield has a serious case to win another trophy, and it wouldn’t surprise me if it wasn’t his last.
Saquon Barkley
Highly rated out of college, Penn State product Saquon Barkley had some of the highest expectations in NFL history. Drafted 2nd overall to the New York Giants, Barkley lived up to the expectations and if not exceeded the expectations. In yet another lost season, Barkley was the lone bright spot for the Giants. On the season, Barkley rushed for 1,307 yards (2nd) with 11 TD. He also caught 91 passes for 721 yards with 4 TD. He had 2,028 scrimmage yards, which led the NFL. He is the 3rd rookie in NFL history to achieve this milestone, and this is only the beginning. Often compared to Barry Sanders, Barkley has some big shoes to fill, but he has the potential to do it.
My Prediction: Baker Mayfield
At the end of the day, I feel Baker Mayfield is the most deserving to win this award, and it is by no means a knock on the season Barkley had. In my eyes, both can make a legitimate argument to why they should win the award, but Mayfield did something that Barkley wasn’t able to do: win. Granted, Barkley is a running back and not a quarterback, but Mayfield gave a team and city full of misery a sense of hope. Both candidates made history and broke records, which is why I feel that this is the deciding factor. Mayfield’s ability beyond the stats is what makes him great. He has the “it” factor that very few athletes have, which is why I feel Baker Mayfield will win Rookie of the Year by a slim margin over Saquon Barkley.
-By: Richie Dordas