Record-setting Bowling Green wide receiver striving for spot in NFL Aaron Wilson
Bowling Green wide receiver Freddie Barnes is looking to defy the doubters.
Barnes shattered NCAA records last season when he caught 155 passes for 1,770 yards and 19 touchdowns.
However, his 40-yard dash time in the 4.6 range has raised questions about his ability to gain separation from NFL cornerbacks.
“Freddie Barnes is a football player, not a track athlete,” Brad Cicala, Barnes’ agent, told National Football Post. “He’s a great football player who runs by people in games. He doesn’t play at 4.6. He doesn’t play at the same speed in a game. This kid can play football.”
Barnes has met with the Pittsburgh Steelers, also drawing interest from the Cincinnati Bengals, Indianapolis Colts, Washington Redskins and the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Fourteen teams attended his Pro Day workout, including the Detroit Lions and the Cleveland Browns.
The 6-foot, 206-pounder was a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award last season.
Following Barnes’ workout, Detroit Lions scout Shawn Jefferson offered some praise.
“Freddie will definitely be playing on Sundays,” Jefferson told reporters. “The thing that sticks out about this kid when you watch film on him is he is fearless. He will go across the middle and he will sacrifice his body and will go up and catch it and come down with it and fight for yards.
“A guy doesn’t catch 155 balls in a year just on pure luck. I don’t care what level it’s on. He has what we call natural hands. That means he can catch balls all out of the framework of his body, and that’s the most important aspect of a receiver. A lot of people say it’s speed, but it’s not. If you have speed but can’t catch, what good does speed do you? It doesn’t do any good.”
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Mar 17, 2010
08:51 PM
Jerry Rice timed a 4.6 also? At least, on some watches he did. Credit Bill Walsh for hitting a target no one else could see on that, Mike referenced a quote about the nature of genius.
Do you see him working in your system? If so, draft him, if not, avoid.
Perhaps Indy looks his way to develop as an eventual three or two target. Slow time might make quicker cuts on their surface. Even though they've made it far, the team is still looking for their Marvin role to be filled fully.