Cowboy Tough to the Core: Caden Barnett Ready for NFL Opportunity
- Jeff Bugher
- 3 minutes ago
- 4 min read
LARAMIE, Wyo. – As the NFL Draft looms, former University of Wyoming offensive lineman Caden Barnett is at home in Justin, Texas, surrounded by family, waiting for a moment he’s spent years chasing.
“I wouldn’t say I’m nervous,” Barnett said. “I’m excited. I’m just kind of ready for it to happen. I just want to get my foot in the door.”
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Hard work has brought Barnett to the doorstep of the NFL. It’s also what carried him through a demanding pre-draft process that tested both his physical and mental limits.
After his final snaps in Hawaii, Barnett immediately got to work preparing for his NFL Pro Day and his invitation to the Hula Bowl.
“I worked out with Duke Manyweather at Sports Academy here in Frisco, Texas. It’s about an hour away, so I would have to wake up at 4:15, 4:30 to be able to get there and be able to warm up before my workouts at 6 AM.”
That daily grind wasn’t glamorous. It was early alarms, long drives, and a relentless focus on refinement. And it was by choice.
Who is Duke Manyweather?
“He’s an O-line guru. He knows exactly what he’s talking about. He helped me a lot with my technique,” Barnett said. “I look back at my college tape now... I want to throw up already.”
The Hula Bowl invitation came in, and he joined teammates Jack Walsh and Evan Svoboda.
At the Hula Bowl, Caden played under former NFL head coach Jay Gruden.
“It was awesome,” Barnett said. “It was a really fun experience. I got to showcase what I did.”
From there, he got an invitation to the East-West Shrine Bowl - one of the premier stages for NFL hopefuls. It is uncommon for a player to get an extended invitation, but Barnett got one.
“I was so pumped because it was close to my hometown,” Barnett said. “My family got to come attend. Only the best of the best play at the Shrine Bowl, so it was a really cool opportunity.”
Even on the big stage of invitation games, Barnett continued his vocal leadership.
“I just love football so much,” he said. “It’s hard for me to be quiet about it and I get… I get juiced up. And I think that just comes naturally for me for sure.”
Caden tells PokesNews.com that he has communicated with most NFL teams and has had phone calls and Zoom meetings with many teams.
“I’ve talked to all the teams combined at the Hula Bowl and Shrine Bowl and then I’ve met with probably three-fourths of the NFL on Zoom.”
He’s also worked out with the Dallas Cowboys and the Denver Broncos, adding to a growing list of options.
Even though the NFL is on the horizon, Barnett hasn’t forgotten about Wyoming, and how it has shaped him.
Ask him about his favorite memory at Wyoming, and the answer is beyond just a game.
“Obviously want to say Texas Tech because that is my favorite win,” Barnett said. “I think it was, that was the best. I really do miss the practices, and I miss the meals with the guys. I even miss being on scout team. I just loved college football.”
What message does Caden have for Wyoming fans?
“I just want to thank them,” Barnett said. “I think that their unwavering support is awesome. I think that it’s so cool, the loyalty and cowboy tough mentality Wyoming has. I just want them to know that I’m going to give them my all and try to show everybody what I can accomplish.”
Now, the next chapter is within reach.
There are no guarantees in the NFL Draft. No script for when the call will come. But Barnett knows exactly what he wants to do when it does.
“I just want to be a dominant football player in the NFL,” he said.
The same way he’s approached everything else.
As he waits for the call, Barnett is ready to take the next step, ready to prove himself again, and ready to carry Wyoming’s “Cowboy Tough” mentality to the next level.
NFL Analyst Lance Zierlein projects Caden to be picked in the 6th round of the NFL draft.
About the Author:
Jeff Bugher is a third-generation Wyomingite living in Casper. He is a sportswriter and Wyoming Cowboys/Cowgirls enthusiast who is a member of the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA ) and the National Sports Media Association (NSMA). Jeff's work has been cited by Sports Illustrated, one of the world's leading sports publications.
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