Former Penn State football star and Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley was ranked No. 34 on the NFL’s annual Top 100 players list, the program announced Thursday morning.

NFL Top ? Players of 2026@Saquon checking in at 34 pic.twitter.com/JISuiAvF8S

— Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) August 6, 2026

After his gargantuan 2024 season, in which he compiled 2,005 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns on 345 carries and won Offensive Player of the Year, Barkley received the No. 1 overall spot in last year’s rankings. However, the 29-year-old’s numbers regressed in 2025, totaling just 1,140 rushing yards and seven touchdowns, causing him to drop 33 spots in the newest Top 100 rankings.

While there was a clear bumpdown in production, there were factors beyond Barkley’s control, such as blocking and playcalling. According to NFL Pro Insights, Barkley was hit behind the line of scrimmage on 47.1% of his carries last season, the ninth-highest rate among 49 running backs with at least 100 attempts.

Each of the Top 100 players received a short NFL Films video showcasing their highlights and compliments from fellow players all around the league. Barkley’s included cameos from Eagles teammate Cooper DeJean, Las Vegas Raiders linebacker Nakobe Dean and running back Ashton Jeanty, as well as veteran linebacker Eric Kendricks.

No. 34 on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2026…@Eagles RB Saquon Barkley! @NFLFilms pic.twitter.com/BfkAIueuXw

— NFL (@NFL) August 6, 2026

“For his size, to be able to be that fast, have the agility that he does, make the cuts that he does, the vision, you know, he’s a special player,” said Jeanty.

As of now, no other former Penn State players have been named to the 2026 Top 100 players list.

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