Here’s the pitch K-State’s Alex Barnes made to NFL teams about his running back skills

To make it in professional sports, most athletes need a niche to separate themselves from the rest of the pack.

Not according to former Kansas State tailback Alex Barnes.

Barnes has been selling himself to teams at the NFL Combine this week as a complete running back, even if he’s not considered elite at any one aspect of the position.

“I feel like I have very trait the NFL is looking for and it’s about showing it all off,” Barnes said on Thursday.

After a strong junior season in which he rushed for 1,355 yards and 12 touchdowns, Barnes elected to leave Manhattan early as the school’s No. 4 career rusher.

Barnes has met with the Chiefs, Steelers, Buccaneers, Jets, Colts, Texans and Titans at the combine and said he’s heard he could go as high as the third round and as low as the seventh in April’s NFL Draft.

Aside from his skillset, Barnes likes to think his 6-foot-1 frame, a little larger than most at his position, gives him an advantage. Barnes said he’s been compared to Steelers running back James Conner and former Texans running back Arian Foster because of his deceptive speed.

Barnes said he didn’t think about declaring until the end of the season after hearing from agents and scouts about his likeliness to get drafted. But he said he had regrets about how things ended.

Despite getting positive reviews from current K-State players about new coach Chris Klieman, Barnes wishes the Wildcats were able to send off legendary coach Bill Snyder with a bowl game.

“I’m very happy that he got to go out on his own terms but I wish we could have sent him out on better terms,” Barnes said.

He added that he loves everything he’s heard about Klieman and his staff and is excited to see what the former North Dakota State coach can do in Manhattan.

Barnes was chosen to the AP’s All-Big 12 first team after the season, but thought he left a lot of yards on the field as a junior and wasn’t a perfect fit in Andre Coleman’s offense in 2018.

“I didn’t do everything I was capable of,” he said.

Friday will be a big day for Barnes, as he will test in the 40-yard dash among other drills crucial to a running back’s draft stock. A strong performance could go a long way. Barnes said he’s worried about his pass protection being an issue but remains adamant that his completeness as a player will ultimately be worth more to teams.

“I think my skillset is what team’s are looking for nowadays,” he said.