Penn State running back Saquon Barkley solidified his position as the number one player in the 2018 draft class with a scintillating workout at the combine on Friday. As scouts, coaches and GM's watched intently, Barkley put on a show in Indianapolis. The former Nittany Lion clocked the second fastest 40 yard dash time of any back with a 4.40 run, only trailing N.C. State's Nyheim Hines, who posted a 4.38.After an impressive bench press total of 29 reps on Thursday, the best amongst running backs and sixth best overall, Barkley leaped to a ridiculous 41 inch vertical. Again, the best amongst all backs. His explosiveness across the three events was jaw dropping, especially considering his measurables. Weighing in at 6ft, 233lbs, Barkley is an impressive physical specimen with rare athletic ability. 

His workout numbers match up favourably with one of the league's top backs, Ezekiel Elliott. And, his 40 time looks even more ridiculous when compared with a trio of young running backs in the NFL right now...

His draft stock soared, though it was already high to begin with, after a domineering performance in Indy, generating buzz that he could be the first back to go number one overall since 1995 when fellow former Penn State star Ki-Jana Carter was picked by the Bengals.

However, the man himself wasn't over the moon about his workout, citing room for improvement:

"I had some goals set: I wanted to get in the 4.3s. I wanted to get at least a 42 in the [vertical]," Barkley said on NFL Network. "But, like I said, I can't complain with the things I did today."

To consider the fact that he thinks he can do better is simply ridiculous considering how his numbers compare to past draft picks that have been labelled freakish athletes. 

Barkley joins Vernon Davis as the only players over 230 pounds to run 4.40 or faster in the 40 while also recording a vertical jump over 40 inches in the combine since 2003.

Since 2000, 49 running backs have posted faster times than Barkley's 4.40, though only three of them weighed more than 230 pounds: Beanie Wells, Mario Fannin, and Knile Davis. Wells and Davis had a vertical of 33.5 inches and Fannin's was 37.5.

Placing Barkley's workout numbers up against a series of bonafide stars in the league right now only strengthen his case for having one the best combine's in history.

Each one of these comparisons highlight how simply ridiculous he is an athlete. Bettering sure-fire Hall of Fame tackle Joe Thomas in the bench press and posting a faster 10-yard split than DeSean Jackson is just mind boggling. 

How it's possible for a 233 pounder to out leap Julio Jones defies any logic, especially when one thinks back to the countless plays Jones makes leaping over the top of double coverage to haul in miraculous catches. 

NFL Network's Mike Mayock called Barkley's workout "arguably the best running back performance in our combine history...he's the best football player in this class".

The scary thing is, Barkley's pre combine hype had very little to do with these type of measured tests. It has all been based around his dynamic play on the field for Penn State.

The 21-year-old simply showed the scouting community what he, and his college, already knew he could do in base athletic tests. 

Barkley looks to be the best player in the draft, and his workout, combined with outstanding tape, could well see him be the first back since Reggie Bush to be selected with one of the top two picks.

Both the Browns and Giants could go down the quarterback route at numbers one and two, but it will be mightily hard to pass up on such an explosive, well rounded player. 

There is little to no chance he slips past the Colts at number three.