LaDainian Tomlinson on Giants’ Saquan Barkley: ‘I’m honored that people do compare him to me’

Usually, it’s the other way around.

It’s the rookie, who has yet to play a down in the NFL, saying how flattered he is to be compared with a Hall of Famer.

‘I believe Saquon will have no problem with his transition from college football to the NFL’

But it was LaDainian Tomlinson, the former running back with a bronze bust in Canton, expressing his appreciation to the many observers who think New York Giants rookie Saquon Barkley looks like a young LT.

“I’m honored that people do compare him to me, because you see the skill set,” Tomlinson recently told Alex Marvez and Gil Brandt on Late Hits. “You see that he’s a game-changing type of running back. So I believe Saquon will have no problem with his transition from college football into the National Football League. He’s a pro back, he’s ready.”

‘He really can change the dynamics of a game at any point’

The Giants are counting on as much. That was why they made the former Penn State standout the second overall pick of the draft. Tomlinson can easily see why.

“Saquon has home-running hitting ability,” Tomlinson said. “He really can change the dynamics of a game at any point, whether it’s through the pass game or rushing the football. And the thing that I always look at when I see these guys coming out of college, and it just tells me a lot about what type of back they may be, (is) will they be able to handle the work load? And just their body frame.

‘He has tree trunks, he has the power in his legs’

“When you look at Saquon Barkley, the thing that stands out the most is the guy’s legs. He has the tree trunks, he has the power in his legs, and that’s why you see the explosive plays — his ability to make lateral cuts and be explosive through the hole. I can’t wait to see what he’s going to do this year.”