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College Football: Top 5 RBs most likely to win 2017 Heisman Trophy

By Andrew Miller

PASADENA, CA - JANUARY 02: Running back Saquon Barkley #26 of the Penn State Nittany Lions celebrates with tight end Mike Gesicki #88 after making a 7-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter against the USC Trojans during the 2017 Rose Bowl Game presented by Northwestern Mutual at the Rose Bowl on January 2, 2017 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
PASADENA, CA - JANUARY 02: Running back Saquon Barkley #26 of the Penn State Nittany Lions celebrates with tight end Mike Gesicki #88 after making a 7-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter against the USC Trojans during the 2017 Rose Bowl Game presented by Northwestern Mutual at the Rose Bowl on January 2, 2017 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /
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PASADENA, CA – JANUARY 02: Running back Saquon Barkley #26 of the Penn State Nittany Lions runs with the ball against the USC Trojans during the 2017 Rose Bowl Game presented by Northwestern Mutual at the Rose Bowl on January 2, 2017 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
PASADENA, CA – JANUARY 02: Running back Saquon Barkley #26 of the Penn State Nittany Lions runs with the ball against the USC Trojans during the 2017 Rose Bowl Game presented by Northwestern Mutual at the Rose Bowl on January 2, 2017 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) /

We truly got to see what Penn State running back Saquon Barkley could do last season. He proved himself as not only the best running back in the country, but also one the best playmakers. You don’t really expect Barkley to do what he does, whether it be breaking free on a touchdown run when it didn’t look possible or hurdling a defender seemingly twice his size.

The numbers that Barkley posted last season is the best part of his Heisman campaign. Last season, Barkley touched the ball 300 times for 1,898 yards and 22 touchdowns. Another repeat performance with those numbers or just a slight improvement would land him as a Heisman finalist at the end of the regular season.

The last thing that would really have to be improved for Barkley to get himself a Heisman Trophy would be the yards per carry. Barkley does not quite match up to Derrius Guice or Royce Freeman in that department. However, much of that was due to inconsistent play from the Penn State offensive line.

Next: Top 10 QBs most likely to win 2017 Heisman Trophy

There would be no surprise to see both Barkley and Guice as favorites to take home the Heisman Trophy at the end of the season. They’re both tremendously talented, as are the other running backs on this list, and deserve the honor of taking home an award like this.

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