To be honest, I think where Barkley has the edge on Zeke (when it comes to velocity) is in acceleration, not speed. I think both backs have very similar top-end speed but Barkley has the edge in acceleration, slightly. This is evidenced by the
10-yard-splits from their 40s @ the Combine:
Barkley --
1.54
Elliott --
1.58
... listen: both of those figures are
exceptional, particularly for men of their size. Each back has exceptional acceleration & quickness; Barkley's is just a little more exceptional. He gets there a little quicker. But when both men are at a full-sprint, I think they have very similar top-end speed.
This can be seen throughout the acceleration-band, as @
20-yards each man ran:
Barkley --
2.57
Elliott --
2.62
.... Saquon adding a
.01-second lead from his
10-yard-split at the halfway mark, showing that he's still (very marginally) accelerating faster than Zeke. And finally, their full
40-yard-dash times:
Barkley --
4.40
Elliott --
4.47
..... Saquon adding another
.02 to his lead, with neither man having hit their top-speed yet, which is typically achieved around the
60-meter mark in a
100-meter-dash.
Through
40-yards @ the Combine, Saquon achieved
18.59mph
Through
40-yards @ the Combine, Ezekiel achieved
18.30mph
In the NFL, their respective top-recorded-speed so far is:
Barkley --
21.91
Elliott --
21.80
Saquon's came on a 78-yard rush against Washington. Zeke's came on a 55-yard scamper versus the Lions. Barkley had ample runway, with no defenders in front of him, to achieve top-speed. Zeke had to avoid safety Glover Quinn toward the sideline and had a comparatively abbreviated runway at the attempt.
I believe both men are capable of hitting over
22mph under the right circumstances. In fact, based on my rough calculations, Elliott
averaged over
22mph on his game-winning 85yd TD against Alabama in the playoffs.
The point being, in terms of maximum speed, I think each are very comparative; that is, hard-to-catch. But neither are the fastest man in the league. Remember, Barkley got run down from behind by our own Jeff Heath last season in the Giants' last game. Which is not an insult to Barkley; Heath has got tremendous speed and
also has running down
Calvin Johnson from behind on his resume, so at least Barkley's in good company.
What really sets Barkley apart from most other players is his acceleration. This is where he demonstrates the biggest advantage over Zeke in their test-numbers, bursting through the first
10-
yards @
.04 faster. He's got more fast-twitch explosion than Zeke, who is nonetheless an extremely rare athlete in his own right in that regard.
Where this shows up on the field, in my opinion, is mostly stylistically. Barkley is a stop-&-start runner, an east-to-wester who likes to reverse field, use his uncommon athleticism to freelance, and be the best that 'he' can be on each & every play. Don't remember the exact quote, but he said something last year to the extent that he feels it's his job to try to score on every play. If possible, Saquon will do everything in his prodigious power to
avoid as much contact as possible. His freakish acceleration and short-area burst aid him tremendously in those efforts.
Zeke, on the other hand, is more of a one-cut, north-&-south sprinter with vision that scouts nigh-universally praised as "rare" or "special" or "historic". He runs with the intention to
initiate contact, to out-physical the defense (his words), and yet possesses elite quickness, long-speed, and stamina to hit the home-run when the opportunity is there. He is currently the most physical, punishing runner in the league and the most consistent, highest-volume yardage-machine in the game. Unlike Barkley, Elliott is not looking for the home-run on every handoff but rather the maximum yardage available on every given play.
You'll have to reach your own conclusions about which back represents the better NFL player. In my opinion, a lot of people crowning Barkley are doing so based more on his eye-popping athleticism & one-of-a-kind plays he can pull off; and not necessarily on individual contribution to team-winning.
There's a reason Emmitt Smith won
3 Super Bowls and is the all-time leading-rusher in
post-season history as well; while Barry Sanders is ringless, has
1 career playoff win, and left one of his playoff performances with
negative yards.
Zeke is not Smith.
Barkley is not Barry.
But the stylistic comparisons are relevant nonetheless.
--on the subject of which back is
faster, I believe it is ostensibly a push; they each crown out at around
22mph. Barkley gets there a couple ticks quicker. It's an asset, no doubt...
