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Saquon Barkley will put in work for this explosive Giants offense

Giants running back Saquon Barkley runs through some Q&A with Post columnist Steve Serby before he reports to training camp Sunday.

Q: Eli Manning said recently that he wants to prove the Giants right for not drafting a quarterback with the second pick. Do you feel the same way?

A: Yes. I know a lot of people don’t think the running back position has value as it was once before. I know there are critics that are saying that in the long run I’m not gonna be the right pick, they should have drafted a quarterback. I want to prove them wrong. I want to prove them wrong every single day.

Q: What are your thoughts on face-of-the-franchise stardom?

A: Face of the franchise is something that doesn’t cross my mind. I honestly think Derek Jeter could run for mayor in New York, and if not win, get really close, just the way he handled himself. Face of the franchise? I disagree with that. I don’t view myself as the face of a franchise, because 1) I haven’t done anything yet, and 2) There’s so much talent on this team. You look at the years that the Giants have been successful, it really wasn’t just one star that got it done. Stardom, that’s part of it, that comes with being in New York, and obviously I know the more success I have, the more the stardom will come.





Q: Do you think you can make the kind of impact Ezekiel Elliott made for the Cowboys as a rookie?

A: I believe that my impact is being a threat on the field, being a versatile player on the field that you have to counter, whether it be running the ball, catching the ball out of the backfield, special teams, line up in the slot.

Q: Do you feel any pressure?

A: No. People expect me to be this, be that. Obviously people shape a career for me, or shape what I should be. But I already have a high standard for myself. I really don’t feel pressure from no one at all.

Q: How do you like your nickname Saquad?

A: (Chuckle) I guess I gotta go with it. I guess I do have pretty big legs, I guess you could say. But hopefully I can get a name for my performance on the field, and not my body.





Q: What teammate would you choose to do a shoot for ESPN magazine’s body issue? Eli maybe?

A: (Laugh) Yeah, I think Eli should do it. Odell [Beckham Jr.] already did it, I’m pretty sure. I think Eli would be a different take on it. Eli might not be the most muscular guy, but he’s in great shape, he’s been playing for a 15-plus year career, he started every game that he was able to start. So I think that Eli would be a nice point to the cover.

Q: What convinced you to do it?

A: That’s something I wanted to do. That’s something that I said to myself, “One day I would like to be in the body issue.” I believe that athletes really do take care of their bodies, put a lot of work on their body, it’s a different way to show the work that we put in. When I was asked to do that, it was an honor to be the first rookie ever to do that just before I even got drafted to New York.





Q: How explosive can this offense be?

A: I think we have a chance to be very explosive. I think when you look on paper, it’s all there. You can ask anybody that knows football. But it’s a lot easier said than done. You gotta hold each other to a standard, push each other every single day. And I think if we’re able to do that, have that chemistry, I think the sky’s the limit for our offense.

Q: What can you do for Odell, and what can he do for you?

A: If I’m able to have the success that I had in college and demand that attention that I was able to have in college, you can’t demand that attention that they had for Odell in the past. And not even only myself — Evan Engram, Sterling Shepard … there’s so many people around the offense that it’s kind of pick your poison. First and foremost, I gotta go out there and not talk about it, be about it and play my butt off.





Q: What kind of shape are you in, and what was the most grueling part of your offseason workouts?

A: I weigh in the 230 range, anywhere from 230 to 233, my body fat has been consistently under 5 percent. The difference from college to NFL workouts is college workouts is more like, “Go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go.” Now that you’re a professional, you understand that it’s not, “Go, go, go,” you gotta know when to slow it down a little bit.

Q: What kind of shape is Odell in?

A: He has excellent speed, he’s got great eye coordination, his catching ability is amazing, his catch radius is amazing. I think Odell’s in great shape. I think he’s gonna have a great season this year.

Q: Do you expect him to be at training camp this week?

A: I believe that O is a guy that’s for the team and wants to do whatever it takes to help the team win. I know the media tries to paint a picture of him that if you get to know him, a lot more is far from true. I think people misconstrue his emotions that he has on the field. He’s a great guy. He’s kind of a big brother to me to be honest, helping me translate to this next stage and chapter of my life. It’s his decision. I expect him to be there.

Q: Do you have a touchdown dance ready to roll when the season starts?

A: Yes I do.

Q: How would it compare with some of Odell’s dances?

A: I think our dances’ll be a lot different. Odell actually can dance. I’m not so much of a great dancer. I feel like when you celebrate with your team, that’s a fun dance. Other than that, I’m gonna give the ball to the ref.

Q: You’ve been compared to LaDainian Tomlinson, Le’Veon Bell, David Johnson … which one fits?

A: I would say definitely not L.T. L.T.’s in the Hall of Fame. I haven’t even played a game yet, so being compared to him is truly an honor. I don’t know. … I don’t know which one fits. I don’t want to be a David Johnson. I don’t want to be a Le’Veon Bell or a Mark Ingram or those type of guys. I respect their games so much, I love watching their film. I want to be compared to Saquon. I want to be my own guy. I want to be my own back. I want to bring a new style of running back to the NFL. Be elite in everything I do.

Q: What adjectives would you use to describe yourself on the field and off the field?

A: Off the field I’m a very chill, relaxed guy. Just like to relax and have fun. On the field I’m very serious and very committed to the game, to the play. I guess you could say kind of killer instinct — do whatever it takes to win the game, whether you gotta fight for those hard three yards, you gotta try to find a way to break that long run, catch the ball out of the backfield. On the field a very versatile type of player.

Q: Describe the transformation.

A: When you get to that locker room and you put that helmet on, it’s go-time. The only thing is come out on top, win the game. I’m aware that it’s an 11-man sport, the greatest team sport we ever played, you gotta be willing to do whatever your team needs you to do. You practice everything you should practice, you gotta be ready for any outcome that comes out during the game.

Q: You’ve played with pain before, correct?

A: Yeah, that’s the nature of the sport.

Q: When your general manager says he thinks you were “touched by the hand of God,” how do you not let it go to your head?

A: It doesn’t go to my head. Your whole life people are gonna give you compliments. But you can’t get too high on the good compliments because as many good compliments people give you, there’s gonna be bad compliments. It’s a great compliment from the guys that drafted you and picked you to join the team, but you can’t get too high over it. I treat that compliment like any other compliment.

Q: What have you learned that you didn’t know about Eli?

A: I would say flexibility. I would say that’s a real key to why he’s been so healthy throughout his career. He has good body control. You go back and you watch film or you watch that amazing throw to David Tyree to get out of that sack.

Q: What have you learned about coach Pat Shurmur?

A: Coach Shurmur is amazing. He knows the game very well. He’s very interactive with the players. He’s very vocal. He’s a leader. Having him as a coach as a rookie is gonna help me tremendously.

Q: What are your personal goals?

A: It’s like being a freshman all over again. Come in here humble, just hang out, ready to work, ask a lot of questions. Try to be available every day, it’s a long grind season, you want to be part of everything possible.

Q: What kind of career can you envision for yourself?

A: If I continue to train my butt off, try to take care of my body, I can envision myself, hopefully God willing, have a great career.

Q: What would a great career translate to?

A: I think everyone wants to be a Hall of Famer.

Q: When do you think it will hit you that you’re about to start your NFL career as a New York Giant?

A: I think it’ll hit me when I run out to the tunnel for the preseason game Aug. 9 against the Browns [at MetLife Stadium].

Q: Is this a playoff team?

A: I believe that we have the talent to be a playoff team. Everybody in the NFL has the talent to be a playoff team. We just gotta find a way to have one more point than our opponent every week.

Q: What do you think about when you walk past those Lombardi Trophies in the lobby window case?

A: This is why you’re a Giant. You’re there for a reason. You expect to hold yourself to a championship standard. That’s the reason why you wear the blue, that Giant logo on your jersey.





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