Saquon Barkley Named Best Player in 2018 NFL Draft by ESPN's Todd McShay

ESPN draft insider Todd McShay said Tuesday during an interview on the Dan Patrick Show that he believes Penn State running back Saquon Barkley is the best player in this year's draft.

That doesn't mean he'll be the top player selected, however. McShay told Patrick he believes the Cleveland Browns will, and should, take USC quarterback Sam Darnold with the top overall pick. He added that he has also continued to hear Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen linked to the Browns.

McShay also noted he believes Barkley is the favorite to be selected by the New York Giants with the No. 2 pick. McShay cited general manager Dave Gettleman's desire to land a potential Hall of Famer with the second overall pick as a reason Barkley is the favorite there.

That jibes with a report from Paul Schwartz of the New York Post, who wrote that the Giants view Barkley as a "near-perfect prospect" with more upside than Ezekiel Elliott because Barkley is a "far superior pass-catcher" with "absolutely no character issues or concerns."

"I don't think Dave will take a quarterback," an NFL scout told Schwartz while referencing Gettleman's desire to land a Hall of Fame talent. "I don't see it. I could see [Bradley] Chubb putting on that gold jacket. I could see [Quenton] Nelson putting on that gold jacket. Barkley, no question. If you have a crystal ball and say, 'This guy is gonna be an annual All-Pro and make it to the Hall of Fame,' Barkley would be the No. 1 guy."

So, why not select him No. 1 overall if you're Cleveland?

For one, the Browns will return Duke Johnson Jr. and added Carlos Hyde this offseason, a solid enough pair at the position. Additionally, the Browns have lacked a true franchise quarterback for over two decades. Passing up the opportunity to select the top quarterback this year likely wouldn't play very well in Cleveland with little guarantee the Browns could land their man in the future.

And there is always the possibility that player like Barkley will be on the board at No. 4 for the Browns. As McShay noted, the Browns may be able to stay put and get a player like Barkley or Chubb at that spot if the two picks behind them are used on quarterbacks.

As for the idea that Barkley is the top player in this draft, he isn't alone in that assessment.

B/R's Matt Miller wrote: "Barkley is one of the easiest evaluations in the NFL draft. He's a natural athlete with special skills and is clean off the field with great football and personal character. Barkley is the clear top prospect in this draft."

Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com has Barkley as the best player. ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. does as well. Barkley may not be the first player off the board based on how teams determine positional value, but there's little question that he is almost universally considered a future superstar in the NFL.