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GARY BARNIDGE
5th round, 141 overall
SCHOOL: Louisville
POSITION: Tight end
HEIGHT: 6-55/8
WEIGHT: 247
COLLEGE HIGHLIGHTS: Named All-Big East as a senior, catching 53 passes for 655 yards and seven touchdowns. For his career, he had 98 receptions for 1,491 yards. Strong special teams player as well.
QUOTE: "Anywhere between 252 and 255 (pounds) would be great for me, because I could maintain my speed and still be able to block with my frame ... (to gain weight) I follow a strict diet. I don't eat bread. I don't eat a lot of sugars. If I eat a sandwich, I don't eat the bread; I just roll up the meat and cheese. I take beef liver pills, which help me maintain my weight."
BET YOU DIDN'T KNOW: Barnidge comes from Jacksonville, Fla., but since the Jaguars and Panthers came into the league in 1995, he's been a Panthers fan. He said it happened because when the teams played in the Hall of Fame exhibition that year, he and his dad bet on the outcome. His dad took the Jags, Gary took the Panthers and won. To him, that meant an extra $20 in his allowance and made him a Panthers fan for life.
-- Stan Olson
PANTHERS FIT: Already considered a good blocker, Barnidge has been trying to beef up to 252-255 pounds. That would help Carolina's power game, and he can also stretch the field with good speed (consistent 4.6 40s).
