Now is not the time, Saquon Barkley says. Reflection comes at the end of this season, no matter the meaningfulness of its milestones. He’s resisting the sound of them toppling like towers. He won’t peek at the panorama of his production.

Two images of Saquon Barkley stand out inside the halls of Whitehall High, his alma mater. One is a close-up portrait of him as a member of the class of 2015 in black and white. He is looking directly into the camera and smiling faintly.