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EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Eli Manning has been "impressed" with Saquon Barkley. Tight end Evan Engram said the rookie is "ahead of his time." Linebacker Kareem Martin said "he can do everything." Even co-owner John Mara could barely contain his excitement about Barkley's "unlimited physical skills" that add "a completely different dimension" that the Giants offense hasn't had in quite a while.

That, by the way, was one sentence before Mara conceded there is one thing that scares him about Barkley:

The hype.

"I do get a little nervous about all the hype since he hasn't played a down yet," Mara said before the Giants' first practice of training camp on Thursday. "But I think he's capable of living up to it and is just very mature beyond his years, I think."

The Giants better be right, because the hype machine on Barkley has been in overdrive since long before they made him the No. 2 overall pick in the draft out of Penn State. He's been hailed as the perfect prospect, a physical specimen, a rare talent, and a fantastic human being. He's considered a savior of a running game that has been dismal in recent years, and a weapon that can complement Odell Beckham and make the Giants' offense dangerous again.

And back in June, several retailers announced that Barkley's No. 26 Giants jersey was already the top seller in the league.

That's a lot for a 21-year-old who has now had exactly one NFL training camp practice. It can be argued Barkley is the most-hyped rookie in Giants history. Remember, Odell Beckham Jr. was injured during his first training camp and no one saw his superstardom coming. Manning was hyped as the new franchise quarterback, but everyone knew he'd likely start the season on the bench.

To find a Giants rookie with this much hype and expectations this high, Mara had to think back almost 40 years.

"Possibly 1981 -- Lawrence Taylor when he came to camp," Mara said. "But maybe not quite this much. I mean, (Barkley's) jersey is already the No. 1-selling jersey. He's gotten a lot of attention.

"But again, I think in speaking to him and watching how he conducts himself, I think he is able to handle that. So I feel good about that. But still, you know, I've used this line a million times before: Let's not get him ready for Canton just yet. Let's let him play some games first."

There's irony in the way Mara added to the hype and then cautioned against it. That's the problem that everyone has had after watching Barkley in action or speaking to him off the field. He seems to be the real deal, a notoriously hard worker, and a player his teammates quickly came to love.

And once they saw what he was able to do in practice, how hard he worked at his craft, and how humble he was despite his stardom, they often reacted in awe.

"I honestly believe he's ahead of his time," Engram said. "He's already proven himself as a professional. He wants to get better each and every day."

"Oh he's tough," Martin added. "I mean he could do everything - really fast. (And) he came in with his head down and ready to work. Drafted No. 2 he could've came in cocky, but he came in humble and worked. I think that gained him the respect from all the players in the locker room."

Judging by the reaction from his first practice, he has the respect of the fan base too. The stands at the Meadowlands were littered with people in Barkley jerseys - maybe even more than those in Beckham's familiar No. 13. The first time Barkley touched the ball there were screams from the crowd. Every little thing he did earned him a cheer.

That's great, of course, but it does put the pressure on Barkley to earn it - something he really can't do until the games start in September.

But everyone around the Giants seems very confident that he well.

"He obviously has unlimited physical skills. He's a real fine young man as well," Mara said. "I think he adds a completely different dimension that maybe we haven't had in our offense in quite some time."

"I think he's done a good job coming in, studying the playbook, knowing his stuff, having questions, being dialed in to everything that he's supposed to be doing," Manning added. "I've been impressed with him in that situation, and also just obviously his on-the-field stuff is impressive. He's made plays -- no pads on or anything yet, but just catching the football, being an athlete. I'm excited to get some pads on and see what he can do."

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