Barkley got his start at Whitehall High School in Whitehall, Pennsylvania, where he was also a star running back for the Whitehall Zephyrs. He came to know the Hartmans because Bob Hartman, Maisey and Zack's father, is the athletic director at Whitehall.

After the Eagles' 1-6 collapse at the end of last season, GM Howie Roseman had an offseason for the ages to turn his team back into Super Bowl contenders.