Taylor Rooks continues to go one-on-one with some of the sports world's biggest superstars. On the latest episode of Bleacher Report's Take It There With Taylor Rooks Rooks, New York Giants rookie sensation Saquon Barkley talks about everything from his career goals to the origin of his unique name.
Since the Giants selected Barkley with the second pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Bronx-native has quickly become a hometown hero by being one of the few bright spots on New York's struggling offense. With just one season under his belt, Barkley is already a Pro-Bowl running back while also being named the league's Offensive Rookie of the Year. However, Barkley is not basking in the light of these accolades. During his conversation with Rooks, he explained that he's still as hungry as ever, and is on a mission to be the best to ever do it.
"I believe I can be the best running back to ever play the game," Barkley said. Although Rooks got Barkley to voice the confidence he has in himself, the running back did explain why he elects to let his on-field dominance speak for him.
"I don't need to express myself or to go on a Twitter rant or go on a rant on ESPN," Barkley said. "To tell people why I need [to win Rookie of the Year]... I don't need to do that and if I did that wasn't going to help me win or lose anyway. But, that's what everyone expects me to do."
While Barkley gave a rare glimpse into the persona behind his athletic talent, the biggest takeaway from his conversation with Rooks is the that fact fans were robbed of having a possible NFL G.O.A.T. named "Tupac." When explaining the meaning behind his name, Barkley revealed that both his first and middle names were almost used to pay homage to the influential hip-hop artist.
"Tupac," Barkley replied when asked if his parents weighed other options besides "Saquon." "Tupac Makaveli. My dad is a big Tupac fan... [It] was real close until my mom put her foot down."
