It was an undrafted free agent signing that flew well under the radar of even most draft analysts. Sy Barnett, a wide receiver from Davenport, inked a deal with the New Orleans Saints after the conclusion of last week’s 2023 NFL draft.
Barnett was a complete unknown name for most draft enthusiasts. Heck, many had no idea where Davenport University was located or that the school was known as the Panthers. I live about 20 minutes from Grand Rapids, Michigan, where Davenport is located and I was only somewhat familiar with Barnett and his game. We don’t have a single picture of Davenport football in our vast database.
And that’s why Barnett signing a UDFA contract with the Saints is so special. He’s the first-ever Davenport Panthers player to ever sign with an NFL team. It’s a D-II school that began playing football less than a decade ago, sandwiched between divisional superpowers Ferris State and Grand Valley State in a GLIAC conference that is the SEC of D-II.
Barnett began his college career at Ferris State some 40 miles to the north. The Bulldogs are the reigning D-II champions. He was their leading receiver on teams with deep playoff runs in 2018 and 2019. He was also their kicker and a pretty good one, too.
Barnett, who was also a top basketball recruit in Michigan, bounced his way to Davenport for a highly productive final season. A self-described “Swiss army knife” for the Panthers, he led the team in receptions, punt returns and was the team’s punter. Against his old school, he bombed an 87-yard punt.
Barnett now gets to show off his athletic tools for the New Orleans Saints. It’s not going to be easy for the 5-foot-11, 185-pound Barnett to make it, even on a team that has welcomed a versatile player like Taysom Hill before. His instant speed (4.37 in the 40, 1.48 10-second split) and crazy athleticism (40-inch vertical, 6.68 3-cone drill) give Barnett a chance. That’s more than anyone from Davenport has ever gotten before.
