It's no surprise, when asked ahead of Super Bowl LIX to describe Saquon Barkley , that A.J. Brown identified the Philadelphia Eagles running back as "one of the best" of his teammates. Because in some respects, they shared a similar story. Two years after Brown was the shiny new toy that helped vault the Eagles to new heights, Barkley served the same purpose, just at a different position, and with arguably even more fireworks.

From the moment he left Penn State, Barkley was heralded as the prospect who would "alter the course of an offense," as NFL Media's scouting report put it. (That report's NFL comparison for the running back, who was then just 21, with no pro experience? Oh, just Barry Sanders, the one-time MVP, four-time rushing champion and universally beloved Detroit

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