He was not invited to the NFL Scouting Combine in February, but all that did was give him more mental leverage, more fuel to prove the doubters wrong.
Jeannette’s Marcus Barnes could have a life-changing week, have his dreams come true, but he won’t hide the giant chip on his shoulder along the way.
“I’ve always had a chip on my shoulder,” Barnes said. “When you come from a small town, you always have a chip.”
An NFL Draft prospect out of William & Mary, Barnes could hear his name called by a team looking for an athletic, 6-foot-3 safety. Barnes tied for the Coastal Athletic Association lead in interceptions with four and made 69 tackles in his final college season with the Tribe.
If Barnes could speak an NFL career into existence, he’d be All-Pro already. His confidence is beaming on the eve of this week’s NFL Draft, which goes Thursday through Saturday in Green Bay.
The big event will be in Pittsburgh next year and is expected to have a seismic impact on the city. By then, Barnes hopes to be preparing for his second pro training camp.
“Anything can happen,” said Barnes, who had nine interceptions in his college career. “Things can change. Guys can come off the board.”
Back to the combine that never was …
“You have to have 15 teams that want to see you,” Barnes said. “I didn’t have that many. They said I was too light. My playing weight in college was 177-180 (pounds) but I’m 200 now and running a low 4.5 (40-yard dash).
“After my pro day, a lot of teams called. My agent said my pro day (results) would have been top 10 in every category.”
Barnes’ pro day was March 20 at William & Mary. He ran through drills in front of 37 scouts from 29 teams. Soon after, he heard from multiple teams from the NFL and CFL.
NFL teams that he has talked with include the Washington Commanders, Los Angeles Chargers, Baltimore Ravens, St. Louis Rams, Houston Texans, New England Patriots, Tennessee Titans, Cincinnati Bengals, Miami Dolphins and Detroit Lions.
In a mock draft, Don James of OurLads has Barnes going in the seventh round to the San Francisco 49ers (pick No. 249).
“I don’t care where I play,” Barnes said. “I’ll play in Green Bay. You’ll see me out there with my shirt off, I don’t care. I want to be in the NFL, It doesn’t matter who drafts me.”
Barnes said it was mostly “small talk” when he initially spoke with team representatives. Teams like to screen prospects, get to know who they are and detect high-character players whose talent and personality align.
The film on potential draftees usually speaks for itself.
“Hard work and football drives me,” Barnes said. “I have told teams what schemes I can play in. I can play anywhere; any five (positions) in the defensive back room. I just want to showcase my skills.”
Barnes brings pedigree to the draft, which he declared for in December.
His father, Johnnie, was drafted in the ninth round in 1992 by the former San Diego Chargers and played wide receiver for four seasons there before joining the Pittsburgh Steelers for one season in 1995.
“I know I am not going to go on day one or day two — well, maybe day two,” Marcus Barnes said. “My dad told me to stay focused with it and be patient. You just want to get your foot in the door. God works in mysterious ways.”
Barnes, who has been training locally with FSQ in Level Green, said he was worked to polish his mental approach just as much as the physical.
“Knowing what the offense is going to do is just as important as knowing what defense you’re in,” he said.
If Barnes does not get drafted, he could follow in former teammate Robert Kennedy’s footsteps and sign as a free agent.
Kennedy, who played at several colleges before his final season at North Carolina State, was signed post-draft by the Los Angeles Chargers. He played in three preseason games before his release, then joined the team’s practice squad.
The defensive back then gravitated to the Canadian Football League where he initially joined the Hamilton Tiger-Cats’ practice squad before signing in January with the Montreal Alouettes.
The CFL season starts next month.
Barnes and Kennedy won WPIAL and PIAA championships together at Jeannette.
“We still stay in touch,” Barnes said. “We were lead-by-example guys.”
Two other Westmoreland County products also are draft-eligible in Memphis lineman Trent Holler (Latrobe) and Maine running back John Gay IV (Penn-Trafford).