A closer look at how a RB can be hyped as the best thing since sliced bread, but when you take a closer look at stats you find he may not be the best after all. The stats say Barkley is indeed a very good RB, however, Rashaad Penney beats him (and all of the other RB's) when you look at the performance statistics. I saw Mike Mayock say on TV, when discussing the Penney pick that Mr. Penney was the second best return guy behind Sequon Barkley. I really like Mike Mayock a lot but he, like others, spouts hype about such an all-world RB like Barkley that doesn't hold up to a closer look. I think Mike Mayock just thought Barkley was a superman RB, so he must be a superman return guy as well. However, hype overriding facts is never a good look IMO.
On to the statistical comparisons:
----Rashaad Penney, 2017 rushing;
13-games, 289/2248/7.78-ypc, 23-TD's, 22.23-carries/game, 172.92-yds./game.
Situational stats: long-95-yds, 81 for 1-st downs, 58 for 10+yds, 29 for 20+yds.
5-100-yd. games, 6-200-yd games and 2 games with: 53 & 69.
--Additionally, Penney is #6 in career-yards-per-rush average in the NCAA since 1956, that’s over 60 years, with a career 7.5-yds per rush average.
----Sequon Barkley, 2017 rushing; (56.5% of Penney’s rushing yards)
13-games, 217/1271/5.86-ypc, 18-TD's, 16.69 carries/game, 97.77-yds./game.
Situational stats; long-92-yds., 49 for 1-st downs, 29 for 10+, 14 for 20+
4-100-yd. games, 1-200-yd. games and 8 games with: 88, 47, 56, 75, 44, 63, 35 & 77.
----Rashaad Penney, 2017 receiving;
19/132/6.95, 2-TD's, 1.5-receptions/game, 10.15-yds/game
----Sequon Barkley, 2017 receiving;
54/632/11,70, 3-TD's, 4.2-receptions/game, 48.6-yds. game. (Finally Barkley wins one).
--They threw the ball to Barkley more, does that make him superman?)
----Rashaad Penney, 2017 KO returns:
17 returns for 582-yds. a 30.65 average & 2-TD's.
----Sequan Barkley, 2017 KO returns:
15 returns for 426-yds. a 28.40 average & 2-TD's.
----Rashaad Penney, Punt returns:
2 returns for 70-yds. & 1-TD
----Saquon Barcley, Punt returns:
None.
----Rashaad Penney, Total All Purpose Yards, 2107.
rushing 2248-yds, receiving 132, KO returns 521, punt returns 70.
327 total plays, 2971-yds, 9.1-yds/play, 228.5-yds/game
(50-yds a game and 1 full yard on every play more than Barkley)
----Saquon Barcley, Total All Purpose Yards, 2017 (78.3% of Penney’s yards.)
rushing 1271-yds, receiving 632-yds, KO returns 426, punt returns 0
286 total plays, 2329-yds, 8.1-yds/play, 179.2-yds/game.
If you have read this far, you’ve probably seen that Rashaad Penney beats out Saquon Barkley in almost EVERY statistical catergory. The KO return category may turn out to be the real clincher. I give it a 1 in 4 chance that the 1-st time Rashaad Penney touches the ball in his very 1-st game, that he will take it all the way. After all, he had 2 of them last year and is exciting every time he touches the ball. Hang on for one hell of a ride in both the rushing category and the return category, Penney has illustrated that he can pretty much do it all. Oh, and he'll learn to be a great blocker.
KO returns are important but, unknown to some, the Seahawks just got one of the best ever. Penney is tied for #1 in the NCAA since 1976 (over 40 years) with 7 career KO return TD's. Penney is #4 in the NCAA since 1976 (over 40 years) with a 30.23-yd. average KO return.
I have a feeling that a lot of people didn’t look at Barkley’s body of work too much, everyone was hyped about his leaping over a few guys and making some flashy plays, some of which could get him killed in the NFL. Barkley is a really great back, but in my opinion Penney is not only a better running back but he fits the Seahawks system extremely well. All signs from the players selected & signed as UDFA's, this will be the year of the running game being #1.
All of the above statistics are from cfbstats.com which is one of my favorite sites, there is an amazing amount of information there once you learn where to find it.
:smilingalien:
