CSC Interview: Sy Barnett on his collegiate career and being signed by the Saints

Last week, our own Alec and Jeremy got the opportunity to chat with the former Davenport and at the time newly signed wide receiver Sy Barnett. However, Sy got waived before we could put this interview out, but we still wanted our fans and readers to get to know Sy and see what kind person he is. He was such a fun person to chat with and we hope nothing but the best as he continues his NFL journey. We had tons of fun and really appreciate Sy for chatting with us and answering every question we could throw at him.

Alec: Knowing how the New Orleans Saints use Taysom Hill did that do you think that factored into the team’s decision to bring you in?

Sy: I definitely think that’s a big reason why they came after me and bringing me onto the team I know like in my phone call that I had on Saturday night they kind of talked about my versatility in the way I played throughout my college career in the different types of stuff that I’ve been able to do I think that’s part of the reason why they’re bringing me down there is cause I can do a little bit of everything I’m excited to get down there and see what they have in store for me so I don’t really know what to expect but I’m kind of going in like I’ve always gone into any type of situation that I’m prepared for whatever they throw at me

Jeremy: What got you into football?

Sy: So my dad was a star high school football player he ended up banging his knee up didn’t play senior year and he had a couple offers to go play college football but decided that he just wanted to go be a normal college student didn’t want to his knees are all that banged up now he’s getting knee replacement so he was kind of an inspiration for me I grew up playing football in the backyard I had an older brother so he’s 6 years older than me so he would always kick my butt when we play backyard football I would say it’s probably a little bit different now but I played flag football team in sixth grade but I didn’t like I was playing defense grade and there was nothing else just travel soccer so play travel soccer basically my friend.

Jeremy: Is there a certain position you would like to play?

Sy: Yeah I will play whatever they ask me to I actually want to add this into it cause I was just talking to my buddy about it he’s like dude have you always been a kicker and then played receiver this all started in 6th grade everyone on the team lined up and every person got a chance to kick the ball and I want to say I was like middle of the pack and everyone was picking it like a dribble ball like 20 yards 15 yards 35 out there and I just boot the ball and our coaches like holy crap who is this kid.

Alec: Was New Orleans the first team to call you after the draft?

Sy: I have to kind of start from the beginning so I had about a dozen teams that were I felt were pretty interested in me and about a half dozen that I felt were kind of diving in the saints were one of those teams of the half dozen I really did not know what to expect if I was going to get drafted if I was going to be a mini camp invite or a UFA so I kind of went in as not knowing so I was waiting by my phone thinking I might get a call to get drafted also so I went to the whole three days of not hearing anything then my Agent call and was like hey you’re going to start getting some phone calls probably around 2:00 on Saturday and then into the sixth round that’s when I should start picking up well and a draft comes around and I haven’t got a single phone call so I’m like you I was like this is not good kind of like I knew I have the ability to play and just wanted a chance and it was like 15 minutes after the draft my agent calls me and he goes Sy I’ll let you know there’s a couple teams that have reached out to me since the draft is ended he’s like I’ll keep in touch then he’s like actually I got to hang up the Saints are calling 15 minutes later I’m waiting then he calls me back saying the Saints wan to make an offer what do you think? I was like I just want to go play

Jeremy: How does it feel to be the first player ever from your school to go pro?

Sy: so I think it’s a good step for the program I think there’s a lot of really good players that are on the team right now, I think with me making it and signing a NFL contract it gives them more of a reason to just put in that extra work run that extra mile so that maybe who knows down the line when they’re ready to perform like and get that chance to have a pro day and have the opportunity to do all of this I think that they will benefit from it in the long run and also like it gives everyone I guess kind of hit on it but just that opportunity like hey he can do it so can I so like just that aspect of it.

Jeremy: So, in college you had a punt go for 87 yards, for most punters that tough let alone wide receivers how did you pull that off?

Sy: Actually did a 2 punter system so I’m a left footed punter and we had a right footed punter so when I came to Davenport they had a first team All-Conference punter so he did a handful of punts I was like just a guy that was back there who I’ve been a partner I was a punter at Ferris so it was easy for me to hop in there and take off so I when I was able to open up a lot of my punts were like on the like my side of the 40 so I wasn’t able to really boot I’m a very pinpoint of a punter but I can kick it pretty dang far when I get a hold of it and I have my chance to punt it I do so at the beginning of the year I knew I was had a lot better once just because the weather’s changes drastically fast so once mid-October hits it gets cold and windy and snow so all of that stuff up here in Michigan and I got to play my alma matter Ferris my feet were one foot in the endzone and they had a great part returner and I knew like there’s not a chance I’m going to point to this guy the whole game so I’m standing on like the 50 yard line or like the other side of the 50 on like the 40 now I’m gonna hit this spiral right over his head and it ended up bouncing into the endzone on the other side.

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