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Eagles RB Saquon Barkley Named Top Rusher Ahead of 2025 NFL Season

The Philadelphia Eagles decision to sign free agent RB Saquon Barkley last offseason proved to be the right one with the Penn State product becoming the ninth back in NFL history to rush for over 2,000 yards in a season on their way to a Super Bowl title.

After the best season of his career, Barkley claimed the top spot of a running back rankings list released by ESPN ahead of the 2025 NFL season.

Saquon Barkley Named Top RB in the NFL Ahead of 2025 Season by ESPN

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ESPN”s Jeremy Fowler conducted a poll of sorts regarding who executives, coaches, and scouts across the NFL believe is the best running back in league entering the 2025 season. Well, the answer was almost unanimously Philadelphia Eagles RB Saquon Barkley.

Fowler wrote, “Barkley’s Super Bowl-inspired run in 2024 harkens back to then-New York Giants GM Dave Gettleman taking serious heat for selecting a running back with the second overall pick despite plenty of good quarterbacks available in the 2018 draft. Barkley was just that good. And just maybe, that pick wasn’t so bad and Gettleman looks smart?”

Barkley was nothing short of spectacular during his first year in Philadelphia, rushing for 2,005 yards 13 touchdowns to go with 33 receptions for 278 yards and another two scores in 2024.

Ironically enough, Barkley was well within striking range to break Eric Dickerson’s record of 2,105 rushing yards in a single season, but elected to rest the final week of the regular season with their playoff seeding already secure.

This decision to forego an individual accolade to prioritize health entering the postseason paid off.

Eagles' Saquon Barkley is Madden NFL 26's cover athlete - WHYY

Barkley’s 499 yards and five scores over the Eagles four-game playoff run was pivotal to Philadelphia hoisting the Lombardi Trophy for the second time in franchise history. In his first three playoff games with Philadelphia, Barkley topped 100 yards rushing and scored a rushing touchdown to help lead the Eagles’ offense.

Fowler added, “When including the regular season and playoffs, Barkley’s 2,504 rush yards and seven scrimmage touchdowns of 60-plus yards are the most in a season in NFL history. His speed was constantly on display, reaching at least 20 mph on nine touchdown runs, per Next Gen Stats. No other player had more than two.”

Barkley is still at the peak of his powers physically at the age of 28, but history isn’t exactly on the side of the Penn State product after rushing for over 2,000 yards last season.

The nine backs who have rushed for 2,000 yards in a season are Barkley, Dickerson, Adrian Peterson, Jamal Lewis, Barry Sanders, Derrick Henry, Terrell Davis, Chris Johnson, and O.J. Simpson.

Do you know how many of those players have rushed for over 2,000 yards in a season twice in their career? None.

In other words, no back who has hit that elite mark has ever improved upon that mark the next season.

Now, Saquon is an exceptional talent who is positioned to play behind one of the best offensive lines in the league with dynamic wideouts on the perimeter to keep defenses honest.

Betting against Barkley isn’t something I’d recommend, but history does suggest that the odds of Barkley topping 2,005 rushing yards in 2025 isn’t a sure bet.

Panthers Cheerleader Sues a Panthers Player for Harassment by Flirting with Her While Already Married
Can you believe it? A beautiful, talented cheerleader from the Carolina Panthers is "furious" and dragging a team player to court for "unacceptable" actions! Grace Kramer – the TopCats icon – has officially filed a lawsuit, and the story behind it is making NFL fans "boil with rage"! Could this be the "scandal of the century" for the Panthers? Read now for the "steamy" details! Grace Kramer, a professional cheerleader for the American football team Carolina Panthers in the NFL, is a prominent member of the TopCats group. She is a former student at Clemson University, where she participated in the Rally Cats cheer squad. Before that, Grace was a dancer for the NBA and holds a consulting degree from Wake Forest University (WFU). Grace is active on social media, often sharing about games, community activities, and her role as a brand ambassador for the Panthers. As part of the 25-member TopCats team, Grace engages in fan interactions, community events, and performances at Panthers games. She has an Instagram account (@grace_kramer37) with posts about cheer life and a TikTok (@gracekramer_) where she shares videos about game days. Before joining the Panthers, she worked at Darden (related to the restaurant or service industry), proving her versatility and hard work. But the "nightmare" began when Grace got "entangled" with a Panthers player! That's Jake Harlan, a backup offensive tackle who rarely plays for the Panthers – a guy who's practically "unknown" to fans, only appearing sporadically on special teams and never a star. Harlan, 28 years old, has been married since 2022 to his wife, an elementary school teacher, and they have a 2-year-old son. Yet, according to Grace's lawsuit, Harlan has been "flirting" with her blatantly, despite his marital status! The "explosion" happened when Harlan started sending "sweet" messages to Grace via Instagram, complimenting her beauty and talent after performances. At first, Grace thought it was just casual praise from a teammate, but things quickly "escalated" into harassment! Harlan called her in the middle of the night – sometimes at 2-3 a.m. – to "confide" about his personal life, invite her for private coffee dates, and even send "suggestive" photos of himself! Grace stated in the lawsuit: "He knows full well I just want to focus on my work and career, but he won't stop. Those midnight calls scare me and cause insomnia, seriously affecting my mental health!" According to insider sources, Harlan has been "stalking" Grace since the start of the season, frequently showing up at community events she attends, and deliberately "creating opportunities" to approach her. Harlan's wife, upon discovering, was "furious" and even threatened divorce, but the guy still "didn't wake up"! The Panthers are "shaken" by this scandal: The team management has temporarily suspended Harlan for investigation, while fans are divided – one side supports Grace's "strong condemnation," the other suspects it's a "PR stunt." The NFL league is also monitoring closely, which could lead to heavy fines or a playing ban! Grace, with her "goddess" image on TikTok and Instagram, is now becoming a "victim" of harassment – a hot-button issue in the sports world! How will the court handle Harlan? And will the Panthers "clean house" to protect their cheerleaders? Don't miss out – follow now for the next "drama" update! What do you think about this case, comment below!