Barnes’ Attitude About NFL Draft Is Par for the Course

Pat Barnes’ world is about to change in a big way, and exactly how is the star California quarterback preparing for this transformation?

“I’m going to go play golf with my dad and brother in the morning,” Barnes said. “Then I’ll probably just hang out in the afternoon.”

Just hang out? Barnes’ name will likely be announced today during the first round of the NFL draft in New York, meaning life for the strong-armed, quick-thinker couldn’t be much better.

Barnes, who was a standout at Trabuco Hills High, is at the doorstep of an exclusive club. Yet, you sure won’t learn about Barnes’ impending good fortune by talking to him.

At a time when many of his fellow would-be draft picks are bouncing off walls, Barnes is playing things typically cool. The countdown to the draft is moving along, but Barnes doesn’t even hear the clock ticking.

“This is cool and all, but I really haven’t thought about it too much, really,” Barnes said. “I mean, I’ve been keeping pretty busy with school and everything since the season ended.”

And don’t expect Barnes to stay glued to the TV all day. Barnes wants to see where he and some of his Cal teammates are selected. But Barnes said it’s not like he’s planning his day around it.

“Obviously, I’m excited about what’s about to happen,” Barnes said. “But there’s really nothing I can do. I don’t have any control over where I’m going, so I’m just going to wait and see what happens and go from there.”

If you believe the so-called experts, Barnes won’t have to go far from Cal’s Berkeley campus. According to published reports, the San Francisco 49ers are expected to select Barnes with the 26th overall pick.

This seems to make sense because 49er Coach Steve Mariucci raves about Barnes, whom he coached at Cal last season. Barnes loves the 49ers’ West Coast offense, which Mariucci used at Cal.

You would think that any signal-caller in his right mind would be downright giddy to be in Barnes’ cleats. The prospect of beginning your pro career with arguably the NFL’s best, most stable organization seems like enough to make even the smoothest poker player blink.

But not Barnes. Not for a second.

“Yeah, I’ve seen a lot of stuff about that, and I guess it makes sense because there are some obvious connections there,” Barnes said. “Coach Mariucci was my coach, but this is a business and you have to remember that.

“The 49ers are just one of 30 teams that can draft me, so that’s the way I have to look at it.”

Barnes (6 feet 4, 215 pounds) vaulted into the thoughts of NFL decision-makers during his senior season with the Bears. He passed for a Pacific 10 Conference record 31 touchdowns while leading Cal to a 6-6 record and an Aloha Bowl appearance. His favorite target was All-American tight end Tony Gonzalez, a former Huntington Beach High standout, who is expected to be a high first-round pick.

“I think I played about as well as I could have this season,” Barnes said. “I exceeded my expectations in some ways, but I just wish we could have won some more games.”

Barnes also helped himself with several impressive performances in postseason all-star games. He played only one quarter during the Senior Bowl in January but was selected the MVP after throwing three touchdown passes.

Scouts like Barnes’ quick release, cool demeanor and ability to make correct decisions.

The West Coast offense is no place for dummies, and Barnes mastered the system in only one season.

He suffered a broken right wrist during the Senior Bowl and underwent surgery in February.

Barnes said doctors told him his wrist won’t be at full strength until June, but that shouldn’t affect his status.

“I wasn’t able to start throwing for [NFL teams] until April,” Barnes said. “But I think people know what I can do by now.”

Barnes, 22, was among the nation’s most coveted quarterback recruits as a Trabuco Hills senior.

Pat was an emergency starter as a freshman at Cal because of injuries. He was robbed of another redshirt season as a sophomore for similar reasons.

Coach Keith Gilbertson was fired after Barnes’ junior year, when Cal finished 3-8. Barnes passed for 17 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, playing well enough to start drawing some attention from pro scouts.

Enter Mariucci and his up-tempo attack. Barnes credits Mariucci and offensive coordinator Hue Jackson, now USC’s coordinator, for helping him reach his potential.

“I owe them a lot,” Barnes said. “Coach Mariucci and Coach Jackson brought out the best in me.”