Saquon Barkley Says He's NFL's Best RB, Credits Bijan Robinson as 'Most Talented'

Philadelphia Eagles superstar Saquon Barkley believes he is the best running back in the NFL, but not necessarily the most talented.

When asked by SI.com's Greg Bishop to name the best running back in the league, Barkley responded, "I'm super confident in myself. And I'm the best in the NFL."

It is difficult to argue the assertion, as Barkley is coming off one of the greatest seasons ever by a running back.

In his first campaign with the Eagles after being signed away from the NFC East rival New York Giants in free agency, Barkley racked up 2,005 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground to go along with 33 receptions for 278 yards and two more scores.

As a result, Barkley was named a Pro Bowler, First Team All-Pro and NFL Offensive Player of the Year, plus the Eagles went on to win the Super Bowl.

Despite all of that, Barkley does not view himself as the NFL's most talented running back, telling Bishop, "Do I think I'm the most talented one right now? I don't. Bijan [Robinson] is the most talented. Puts it all together."

Robinson, 23, was the No. 8 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft by the Atlanta Falcons, and he has been every bit as good as advertised thus far.

After rushing for 976 yards and four touchdowns to go along with 58 catches for 487 yards and four scores as a rookie, Robinson took his game to the next level last season, rushing for 1,456 yards and 14 touchdowns, along with 61 grabs for 431 yards and one score.

Barkley also praised Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs, who is set to enter his third NFL season like Robinson.

Despite sharing the Detroit backfield with David Montgomery, Gibbs rushed for 1,412 yards and a league-leading 16 touchdowns, while also catching 52 passes for 517 yards and four touchdowns last season.

There is no denying what Barkley did last season, but he will turn 29 in February, meaning he is fast approaching the age of 30, which is when running backs often start to decline.

Of course, there are some exceptions to that rule, such as Baltimore Ravens star Derrick Henry, who rushed for 1,921 yards and 16 touchdowns in his age-30 year last season.

Barkley will look to follow in Henry's footsteps in that regard, but it seems like it may only be a matter of time before younger backs like Robinson and Gibbs take over as the face of the position.