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The Seattle Seahawks made quite the investment in their backfield by selecting running back Rashaad Penny with the 27th overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. However, Penny feels he was still overlooked in a lot of ways compared to New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley.
Although there were a number of talented backs in this year's draft, it became clear that Barkley was head and shoulders above the rest. According to Tyler Dunne of Bleacher Report, Penny feels the gap between them is much smaller than people think:
Penny admits he's ticked his name wasn't mentioned alongside “Saquon Barkley” predraft, saying he's better between the tackles.
“I'm up there when some people wouldn't give me a chance to be up there,” Penny says. “As a running back, you're not going to claim that somebody's better than you.
“That's just how it is.”
There is certainly plenty of truth to Penny's comments. Running backs are not usually seen as reasonable options to take early in the first round. However, Barkley became the exception after following up a stellar season at Penn State with one of the best performances in Scouting Combine history. Needless to say, he had done more than enough to solidify himself as a bonafide No. 2 overall pick for New York.
Meanwhile, Seattle's selection of Penny came with mixed reviews. The Seahawks had a number of voids to fill after their recent overhaul this offseason — most notably on the offensive line. As a result, many questioned the practicality of drafting a running back so early on. However, their decision is likely indicative of just how high they were on Penny. For that reason, it is safe to assume that he will be given the opportunity to showcase why he should have been mentioned in the same breath as Barkley.
