He played college football for the Cal Poly Mustangs and was selected by the New York Giants in the third round of the 2009 NFL draft.
As well as playing football, Barden averaged 17 points per game in basketball and competed also in volleyball and track and field.
In 2005 as a redshirt freshman, Barden led the Mustangs with 40 receptions for 655 yards and 9 touchdowns en route to being named a first-team All-Great West Conference selection.
As a sophomore in 2006, Barden again led Cal Poly with 42 receptions for 824 yards and 5 touchdowns while being named a first-team All-Great West selection for the second-straight season.
In the September matchup against Sacramento State, Barden earned Great West Conference Player of the Week honors with his 9-reception, 200-yard and 2-touchdown performance.
Following the year, he finished 15th in the Walter Payton Award voting, collecting 30 points, including one first-place ballot.
[5] During a Battle for the Golden Horseshoe and GWFC title-winning victory over rival UC Davis on November 15, Barden broke Jerry Rice's previous division record of 17 consecutive games having scored on a reception.
In his second season, he had 5 catches for 64 yards in three games before being placed on injured reserve on November 16, 2010 after breaking his ankle and suffering ligament damage.
[14] On September 20, 2012 vs. the Carolina Panthers, with Hakeem Nicks out with a foot injury, Barden had a breakout performance, with 9 catches for 138 yards.