Scouts who hadn't seen Barden play until his Mustangs took on annual Big Ten contender Wisconsin in Madison late in 2008 were pleasantly surprised by his skills. He has won numerous All-American and all-conference accolades, but production at the FCS level (122 catches for 2,724 yards - a 21.9-yard average - and 36 touchdowns the past two seasons) does not always translate to NFL success. But he proved himself more than just a tall jump-ball threat against the Badgers, and teams took notice. If he's not a first-day pick, his name should be called early Sunday morning.

AFCA FCS All-American, First team All-Great West.

Led the team in receiving for the second straight year, catching 42 passes for 824 yards and five touchdowns … his 824 receiving yards is No. 10 all time for a single season at Cal Poly … first-team All-Great West Football Conference selection … College Sporting News Fabulous Fifty All-American … earned Great West Football Conference Player of the Week and I-AA.org All-Star honors after catching nine passes for 200 yards and two touchdowns against Sacramento State on Sept. 16 … had seven catches for 110 yards and a score the following week against San Jose State … six catches for 123 yards at Montana.

Caught a team-leading 40 passes for 655 yards and nine touchdowns en route to first-team All-Great West Football Conference honors … twice caught 48-yarders, one each against Montana and Eastern Washington, catching two touchdowns in each game … career-high nine receptions against Southern Utah … used his 6-6 height to block pair of field goal attempts against South Dakota State and North Dakota State.

Redshirted.

As a senior under head coach Marty Konrad at Flintridge Prep in La Canada Flintridge, Bardon caught 41 passes for 915 yards and 14 touchdowns, leading the Rebels (12-1) to the CIF-Southern Section Division XIII title … earned All-Prep League, All-CIF-Southern Section and All-Area (Pasadena-Glendale) honors in addition to all-state honors in the small schools division … a free safety with the Rebels as well … also played basketball, volleyball and track and field at Flintridge Prep … in basketball, averaged 17 points and eight rebounds a game … was named all-league three times and all-CIF twice in basketball … named Cal-Hi Sports small schools Athlete of the Year … Honor Roll member as a junior and senior … participated in Peer Counseling, the Minority Student Union as a club director and was an Alliance Camp counselor … also visited Penn and San Diego before choosing Cal Poly.

Son of Al and Denise Barden … one sister, Lisa … father played basketball for New York University and reached the NCAA Final Four in the early 1960s … born Jan. 1, 1986, in Altadena, CA … lists music, basketball, dominos and cultural events as hobbies … has served as a coach at summer basketball camps … majors in business administration.