The New York Giants managed to address their backfield needs by taking Penn State running back Saquon Barkley with the second overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. Needless to say, no one is more excited about the selection than general manager Dave Gettleman.

There has been some taboo in recent years about taking a running back so early in the first round. However, according to Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk, Gettleman feels the impact a player like Barkley can have is often overlooked:

“You know what I say about that. It is a crock. At the end of the day, a great player is a great player. He is a touchdown maker. He is a threat to take it to the house every time he gets his hands on the ball,” Gettleman said. “I think a lot of that stuff is nonsense. I think it is someone who had decided to get into the analytics of it and went through whatever. Jonathan Stewart is in his 10th year and he has not lost anything. I don’t believe in that. I don’t care who you take, they can all get hurt.”

There is plenty of truth to Gettlemen's comments. Barkley was one of the most electrifying players in college football last season. More importantly, his versatile skill set gives the Giants a rare playmaker to toy around within the new offense.

Barkley recorded 3,843 yards on the ground while hauling in 102 receptions for 1,195 yards through the air during his career at Penn State. He made them all count by amassing 54 touchdowns combined through his efforts on offense and special teams.

However, there are still those that believe that running backs have become somewhat expendable in today's pass-heavy theme of the NFL. It is evident that the rest of the league does not share Gettleman's sentiment. Just look at what has transpired between the Pittsburgh Steelers and running back Le'Veon Bell over the last two offseasons.

While there may still be critics of this decision, it is safe to say that things have worked out nicely for teams like the Dallas Cowboys and Jacksonville Jaguars thus far.