A new baby, a new life: Saquon Barkley shines off the field on Penn State 'Pro Day'

STATE COLLEGE — Saquon Barkley came back to the place where he made himself into the most talked about talent entering the NFL.

Could it be his last time here before everything in his non-stop life spectacularly changes forever?

He sees it coming fast, the serious meetings with NFL teams, the draft, the birth of his first child.

He's signing endorsement deals, flying around the country for workouts, getting his own trading card.

More:James Franklin's spring wish list at Penn State begins with Harrisburg's Micah Parsons

More:Another Penn State success must begin with these young guns this spring

On Tuesday, he showed up at Penn State's annual "Pro Day," the time for former Nittany Lions to work out in front of NFL scouts and coaches before the late-April draft and free agent pickups.

He talked at length about fatherhood. That includes the possibility of his girlfriend giving birth to their first child as he is picked on the opening of the draft. He expects to be at headquarters in Dallas to hear his named called.

His girlfriend, Anna Congdon, lives in Scranton. Their due date is April 14. 

"That's a great question, that's something that we're actually worried about," Barkley said of the timing. "But I can tell you that, if that is the case, I'm taking the first plane back to Scranton, Pa."

Barkley, as expected, fielded all questions about the biggest life changes in stride. He smiled. He answered politely and pointedly so.

He stole the show at "Pro Day" without doing a single drill.

Meanwhile, Tuesday was a chance for his teammates who performed or even starred at last month's NFL Combine to better their running and jumping numbers.

A splendid showcase for under-the-radar talents to prove their value for teams like the Pittsburgh Steelers, who sent a contingent that included general manager Kevin Colbert and new assistant Tom Bradley — Penn State's former defensive coordinator.

They chatted and took notes as stars like Mike Gesicki and DaeSean Hamilton ran crisp pass routes and Marcus Allen and Christian Campbell ripped off 40-yard dashes.

They watched as some of Penn State's 21 participants — the largest in at least a decade — tried to make a name for themselves at the last moment. It included guys who weren't college starters, or maybe didn't even earn a scholarship, such as defensive end Colin Castagana and running back Josh McPhearson.

More:Penn State Football: National poll says (almost) no other school has better fan experience

Barkley? He tore up the combine in Indianapolis even though he and coach James Franklin agreed that he should have performed even better, from his running to his bench pressing.

So there wasn't much left to show on Tuesday. He planned on at least running pass routes until he realized there were no NFL running back coaches in attendance.

Instead, he played pitch-and-catch, cheered on his teammates and ate plenty of snacks in the makeshift refueling station in Holuba Hall. He did interviews and goofed around with his buddies like Gesicki.

He talked about his new life that is about to begin.

He said he and his girlfriend, a former Penn State student, want to be surprised about the gender of their baby.

"April's going to be a big month for me," he said, flashing his light-up-the-room smile, surrounded by a crush of reporters.

"Just maintaining and understanding that I have a kid on the way and now you have to take a bigger role, be more responsible. I'm not just training for myself, I'm training to provide for your family. You've also got to look at football as a business. Now, it's bigger than you."

More:Saquon's next step? Carrying Penn State into the NFL like these legends

More:Watch Penn State's Saquon Barkley bench press 29 reps at 225 pounds

Then he talked about fatherhood in more detail. His own father, Alibay Barkley, hoped to be a standout boxer while growing up in the Bronx. But he got involved in the drugs, fights and crime that surrounded him, culminating in a gun charge that landed him in prison for a year.

A move from New York City to the Bethlehem area with his wife and young family helped save him, he's said repeatedly.

Saquon Barkley, now 21, said his father has inspired him most.

"What made my dad a great father was just being open and honest about the mistakes he made, the decisions he made. That helped me. A lot of people like to take my father's story and try to talk bad about it. I look at it like, you have to respect him, respect him as a man. A lot of people can't look their kid in the face and tell them the decisions they made were awful and the mistakes they made were bad. That helped me.

"You guys, every single day talk about how good my character is. That's not because of me, that's because of my family, my mom and my dad. I'm going to try and be a role model and set an example for my kid."

More:Penn State's Saquon Barkley delivers the power in NFL Combine opening

More:'Once-in-a-lifetime' Penn State RB Saquon Barkley heads to NFL

More:Penn State's Saquon Barkley named nation's most versatile player and more

Of course, Barkley also is one of the most highly regarded NFL prospects in years, maybe decades. Analysts and coaches are gushing about him as a generational player. 

He could be Penn State's first No. 1 draft choice since defensive end Courtney Brown in 2000.

He joked about hopefully not being "a crybaby" when he does learn his team and walks up on the Dallas stage to be introduced.

"I don't think about getting my name called No. 1; I think about getting my name called, period. That's going to be a moment you think about for the rest of your life. Whether you play two years or 12 years in the league, no one can take that from you."