Interview with Cal Poly wide receiver Ramses Barden.

What is your current height, weight and workout numbers?
Barden: My bench reps max is 18 or 19 reps in 2007. My max squat is probably 405. My vertical is probably 32 ½ or 33 inches. I imagine after training I could do a 35 or 36.

Did you play any other sports in high school besides football?
Barden: Football was my last sport. I have been a basketball guy my whole life. That is where I saw myself and it was hard for me to take football seriously until it was almost too late. I didn’t take it seriously until the middle of my senior year in basketball after football. I ran track and one year of volleyball. I am running track this year. I won triple jump in my league in track my sophomore year in high school.

What is the background on your name?
Barden: My dad is a history buff and he appreciates the power and symbolism of Ramses. He just felt like it would be different enough and powerful. My middle name is Alexander. That is historically a powerful name. I appreciate his effort to give me a goal to aspire to and my mom as well. She definitely had input on that.

Where did you go to high school?
Barden: Flintridge Prep in Southern California near Pasadena.

What is your major and GPA?
Barden: Business Administration with concentration in marketing. My GPA is 3.2 overall.

When do you expect to graduate?
Barden: December 2008.

What is your learning style? (board only, board & walk thru or visual-have to see it.)
Barden: I like watching videos because there is more you can learn than drawing stick figures on the chalk board. That is what I like but I am comfortable with anything.

Talk about your family background such as parents, siblings, and employment.
Barden: My mom works for an aerospace engineering company in human resources. She has a part in how the workers get treated. My dad owns his own business. He does a lot of paperwork for people in the DMV. A lot of people don’t know how to deal with paperwork when in trouble with the DMV and he helps them. I have a sister named Lisa. She is in her 40s. I want to say she is trying to get in the entertainment industry but her career now is in real estate. I was born in Los Angeles and I lived in Altadena.

Are you married or single?
Barden: Single as can be.

Do you have any kids?
Barden: No.

Do you have any relatives who played in the NFL?
Barden: Not that I can think of. I think someone in my family is Courtney Morgan and he went to Michigan years ago but I don’t know what happened with them. My dad played professional basketball back in the 60s.

What do you feel are your strengths and weaknesses?
Barden: My strengths are that I feel I have the best hands and not saying it like that but that is my mentality on the field. I feel I use my body well. I understand spacing and positioning on the field. I feel like I have been trained to play the game with great effort. Releases off the line of scrimmage. I am strong with the ball after I have it in my hands. I want to fight for extra yards. Great concentration and coachable. I am always eager to learn and I love competing. My attitude on the field is that of a leader. My weaknesses are my consistency because I play down to my competition. Against Iona I didn’t show everything. If you watch me against better teams it is a lot more desire and effort. I need to show more speed consistently, even when I am tired. I played almost the entirety of every game so when that fourth quarter comes around I need to be as fast as I was in the beginning.

What is your favorite route?
Barden: My favorite is a traditional post where you break it 12-15 years and just aim for pylon. We have the triple option so we don’t do that.

Do you prefer man or zone coverage?
Barden: I like man. I like the idea of one on one competition because I feel like it is not a sacred battle but it is either you or him. It has nothing to do with the scheme but it is a test.

What is the highlight of your career?
Barden: It is how I have noticed the last couple months with the athletic department, administration and the NFL talk and where my teachers and friends are recognizing me. They are saying they have heard I am a nice guy and heard he does well in school and that means a lot to me more than anything.

Who is the best player you have faced in your career?
Barden: I played against Leodis McKelvin of Troy. Not saying he was the best but just thinking of someone I played with NFL talent. I like Dwight Lowery’s ability as far as catching the ball and being patient.

Who is the best player on your team?
Barden: Person with the most ability is probably my roommate Tredale Tolver.

Is there anyone else on your team who has NFL potential?
Barden: Tredale probably has the speed and route running ability. He has the tools. We got a host of other talented guys but it just depends on this year. Our center is a well-recognized player. Mark Restelli has all the tools as well. He is strong, big, likes to hit, and is aggressive.

What are your goals for this year?
Barden: Probably to embrace these last few months and realize how big it has been for me and enjoy these relationships. I want to leave my footprint here at Cal Poly and feel like I touched somebody and I was a person people could respect. I want to be drafted as high as possible, be productive, win every game, beat Wisconsin and win a national championship.

What are your future goals?
Barden: Obviously as much as I can accomplish professionally and I was excited about the attention Cromartie got so far. It showed small schools guys can do it. I have considered owning my own business but one thing I want to do is find a way to participate in the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. It is a great way to learn and develop friendships and get involved in sports. Because it was a staple in my life I want to be a part of improving it or owning one and it would be my way of giving back. I feel like I received a lot of help so I want to do that.