Barkley was born in The Bronx, New York, on February 9th, 1997. His family moved to Pennsylvania in 2001. Barkley attended Whitehall High School in Whitehall Township, Pennsylvania. He was rated as a four-star prospect.

PHILADELPHIA — Saquon Barkley knows the lighthearted criticisms of his basketball skills. His former Whitehall High School basketball coach, Jeff Jones, the school's athletic director, Bob Hartman, and even Penn State football coach James Franklin have remarked over the years about Barkley's brief career with the Whitehall Zephyrs.