One of the top tailback prospects in the upcoming NFL draft has joined the representation firm founded several years ago by Jay Z.
Saquon Barkley has hired Roc Nation Sports. The two-time Big 10 offensive player of the year joins the firm that represents Rams running back Todd Gurley and Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette. Both were top-10 draft picks.
The firm also represents Browns coach Hue Jackson, and the Browns hold the first and fourth overall pick in the draft.
Of course, Barkley could be gone by the time the fourth pick is used; Colts owner Jim Irsay, during a Monday stream-of-consciousness press conference, at one point mentioned that the Colts now need to find another Edgerrin James-type running back. James was the fourth overall pick back in 1999; the Colts hold the third overall pick this year.
At a time when plenty of competent running backs can be found at any/every round of the draft, more and more are being taken at the top of round one. Fournett (No. 4) and Christian McCaffrey (No. 8) were top-10 picks in 2017. Ezekiel Elliott was the fourth overall pick in 2016.
The Browns last took a top-10 running back in 2012, moving up from No. 4 to No. 3 to get Trent Richardson. They later traded him to the Colts for a first-round pick. Richardson’s failure in both cities is one of the main reasons why both teams would be/should be thinking about Barkley now.