In high school, he was a 6-foot-1, 185-pound free safety for Patrick Henry's football team and was selected as a first-team All-County player by the San Diego Union-Tribune.

[1] As a senior in high school, he received numerous scholarship officers and narrowed his choices to Notre Dame, Texas and Michigan.

[5] He was credited by the Associated Press for having played a "key role" along with William Peterson and James Whitley in Michigan's 21–16 win over Washington State in the 1998 Rose Bowl.

[6] When Michigan's 1998 co-captain Marcus Ray was suspended by the NCAA for associating with a sports agent,[7] Patmon started 10 games at strong safety for the 1998 team.

In the Citrus Bowl, Patmon and sophomore safety Julius Curry each "made key interceptions to halt Auburn drives into Michigan territory.

[16] After playing his first game for the Giants against the Denver Broncos, Patmon flew with the team to Newark on September 11, 2001, arriving at 6:00 a.m., before the attack on the World Trade Center.