Saquon Barkley Announces Endorsement Contract with Nike

Former Penn State running back and current NFL draft prospect Saquon Barkley announced on Friday that he has signed an endorsement contract with Nike. 

Barkley made it official with the following post on Instagram:

He also thanked Nike on Twitter:

Barkley is considered the top running back in the 2018 draft class and is expected to be a top-five selection overall.

The 21-year-old Barkley is coming off a spectacular, three-year collegiate career at Penn State in which he topped 1,000 rushing yards on three occasions.

In 2017, Barkley finished with 1,271 yards and 18 touchdowns on the ground to go along with 54 receptions for 632 yards and three touchdowns through the air. Barkley also returned two kickoffs for touchdowns.

A consensus All-American in 2017, Barkley was both an All-Big Ten first-team selection and the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year in each of the past two seasons.

The trend of running backs not being selected high in the first round has reversed in recent years, with the Dallas Cowboys taking Ezekiel Elliott No. 4 overall in 2016 and the Jacksonville Jaguars taking Leonard Fournette fourth and Carolina Panthers taking Christian McCaffrey eighth in the 2017 NFL draft.

On his latest big board, Bleacher Report's Matt Miller ranked Barkley as the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2018 draft. Miller also projected Barkley to get selected No. 4 overall by the Cleveland Browns in his most recent mock draft.