Quote:
Originally Posted by Sfeihc
You guys know how I feel about Freddie. I made it a point not to draft him in this draft to see where you guys had him rated. This kid is a hit and Cleveland would do well to draft him, any team would.
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It wasn't the display that Freddie Barnes wanted to put on for scouts at BG's Pro Day.
A last minute change of plans moved the drills outside, which had a detrimental effect on Barnes' showing.
"I had to run home and get my cleats, which kind of messed with my preparation. My legs felt heavy, and my start time I was slipping on the field," Barnes said.
Not only did Barnes have to run home and get his cleats, but he also had to adjust from Astro Turf, which he had been working out on over the past two months, to field turf which is a "much different surface."
The difference in the surface was visible during Barnes' 40-yard dash, something he needed a strong showing in, as speed has been the biggest question surrounding the wide out.
"Some guys clocked me around mid-4.6, last week; I was running a lot better, so I was real disappointed with that," Barnes said.
While Barnes struggled during physical tests, he improved his showing during the position drills where he hauled in passes from quarterback Tyler Sheehan and was tested on his route running ability.
"He did well. He struggled a bit at first, but when it came time to run routes he did well and impressed the scouts," Sheehan said.
In front of scouts from 15 different NFL teams, Barnes ran fades, slants and almost every other variety of routes showing his consistent hands and playmaker ability.
"They love my hands and like me as a receiver," Barnes said. "People now just want to see me run."
With the NFL draft a little over a month away on April 22, Barnes has already gotten strong feelings from several teams, particularly Detroit,
Kansas City, Indianapolis and Cincinnati.
"A lot of teams need receivers, so we'll see," Barnes said.
If Barnes is drafted on April 22, he'll already be somewhat prepared for life as a professional athlete thanks to his close friend Julian Wright.
Wright, a forward for the NBA's New Orleans Hornets, has been friends with Barnes since they were both in high school, and has been giving his friend advice during the pre-draft process.
"I've actually talked to him about it, he's a better person than he is basketball player and I have no problem asking him for advice," Barnes said. "It's pretty cool to have a best friend in the NBA."
With his success in his senior year and during this past off-season, Barnes is hoping that soon Wright will have a best friend in the NFL.