2023 Freshman All-American who became the first Clemson player in the Dabo Swinney era to record multiple forced fumbles and multiple interceptions in a freshman season ... enters 2025 credited with 101 tackles (5.5 for loss), 11 pass breakups, seven interceptions, three forced fumbles, a sack and a fumble recovery (which he returned 42 yards for a touchdown) in 1,317 snaps over 27 games (21 starts) ... was one of three players in the country (and the only freshman) in 2023 with at least three interceptions, three or more forced fumbles and one sack ... his seven interceptions across 2023-24 were the most by a Clemson player across his freshman and sophomore seasons since Rashard Hall's eight interceptions in his first two seasons in 2009-10.
2023 Freshman All-American who became the first Clemson player in the Dabo Swinney era to record multiple forced fumbles and multiple interceptions in a freshman season … enters 2025 credited with 101 tackles (5.5 for loss), 11 pass breakups, seven interceptions, three forced fumbles, a sack and a fumble recovery (which he returned 42 yards for a touchdown) in 1,317 snaps over 27 games (21 starts) … was one of three players in the country (and the only freshman) in 2023 with at least three interceptions, three or more forced fumbles and one sack … his seven interceptions across 2023-24 were the most by a Clemson player across his freshman and sophomore seasons since Rashard Hall’s eight interceptions in his first two seasons in 2009-10.
2024: Recorded 60 tackles (0.5 for loss), a team-high four interceptions and five pass breakups in 818 defensive snaps over 14 games (all starts) … one of 12 Clemson players to start all 14 games … posted the first four-interception season by a Clemson player since 2019 (four by Tanner Muse) … contributed two tackles and a pass breakup vs. No. 1 Georgia … broke up a pass vs. Appalachian State … added four tackles and a pass breakup vs. NC State … posted nine tackles and a pass breakup vs. Stanford … credited with six tackles at Florida State … collected two tackles and his first interception of the season at Wake Forest … added six tackles vs. Virginia … made three tackles vs. Louisville … credited with four tackles at Virginia Tech … finished third on the team with nine tackles (0.5 for loss) and added a pass breakup and the game-sealing interception on the final play at Pitt … credited with three tackles vs. The Citadel … recorded three tackles and an interception vs. No. 16 South Carolina … posted four tackles and his career-high fourth interception of the season vs. No. 8 SMU.
2023: Named as a First-Team Freshman All-American by 247Sports, the FWAA and On3 … PFF All-Freshman Team selection … second-team Freshman All-American per The Athletic and College Football News … first-team All-ACC pick by PFF in the flex category … third-team All-ACC selection by Phil Steele and College Football Network … became the first Clemson player in the Dabo Swinney era to record multiple forced fumbles and multiple interceptions in a freshman season … was one of three players in the country (and the only freshman) with at least three interceptions, three or more forced fumbles and one sack in 2023 … was the first Clemson freshman to record three or more interceptions in a season since safety Jayron Kearse in 2013 (four) … was the first Clemson defensive back with multiple forced fumbles, multiple interceptions and at least one sack in a season since Bashaud Breeland in 2013 … credited with 41 tackles (5.0 for loss), six pass breakups, a team-high three interceptions, three forced fumbles, a sack and a fumble recovery (which he returned 42 yards for a touchdown) in 499 snaps over 13 games (seven starts) … joined Myles Murphy (three in 2020) as the only Clemson freshmen under Dabo Swinney to force three fumbles in a season; Barnes joined Murphy and Ed McDaniel as the third Clemson freshman (true or redshirt) with three forced fumbles in a season since 1988 … was one of only two FBS players — and was the only FBS freshman — to record three or more interceptions, three or more forced fumbles and a scoop-and-score (BYU junior Eddie Heckard) … became the first Clemson freshman to lead the team in interceptions outright since Justin Miller in 2002 … ACC Honor Roll selection … one of six Clemson true freshmen to appear in all 13 games (Jamal Anderson, Tyler Brown, Shelton Lewis, T.J. Parker and Avieon Terrell) … made collegiate debut at Duke … recorded one tackle vs. Charleston Southern … shared defensive player of the game honors after notching five tackles (one for loss), two pass breakups, a forced fumble and his first career interception vs. Florida Atlantic, marking the earliest in a career (three games) a Clemson player recorded an interception since freshmen Jonathan Meeks and Rashard Hall each recorded an interception in the third game of the 2009 season against Boston College … compiled three tackles at Syracuse … notched four tackles and his second forced fumble of the season vs. Wake Forest, joining Myles Murphy (three in 2020) and Stephone Anthony (two in 2011) — both of whom were first-round NFL Draft picks — as the only Clemson players in Dabo Swinney’s tenure to force multiple fumbles in their freshman seasons … posted three tackles (one for loss) at NC State … added another three tackles and a pass breakup vs. No. 12 Notre Dame … credited with six tackles (2.0 for loss) and his second interception of the season vs. Georgia Tech … accrued three tackles, a pass breakup and his first career sack vs. No. 20 North Carolina … named Thorpe Award National Defensive Back of the Week and ACC Defensive Back of the Week for his performance at South Carolina when he posted six tackles, two pass breakups, a 42-yard fumble return touchdown and an interception … recorded the fumble return and the interception on back-to-back offensive plays by South Carolina on the Gamecocks’ second and third plays of the game, becoming the first Clemson player to record a takeaway on consecutive plays from scrimmage since Brian Dawkins against Duke in 1995 … accrued seven tackles and a forced fumble in the Gator Bowl vs. Kentucky.
Before Clemson: Helped North Oconee to a 13-1 record and a spot in the state semifinals in 2022 … team won its first 13 games of the year and helped coach Tyler Aurandt earn 4A Coach of the Year honors … earned Region 8-4A Player of the Year, as voted by the state’s coaches, in both 2021 and 2022 … 2021 all-state selection … played on both sides of the ball, seeing action at receiver and defensive back … in 2022, scored 18 total touchdowns, scoring on offense, defense and special teams … recorded 35 rushes for 442 yards (12.6 avg.) including a long run of 93 yards and seven rushing touchdowns … recorded 53 receptions for 879 yards (16.6 avg.) with eight touchdown receptions … registered 44 tackles, three tackles for loss, eight interceptions, seven pass breakups and a forced fumble defensively in 2022 … scored twice on defense … posted 13 kick returns for 231 yards, including a 57-yard punt return for a score … had a superlative all-purpose performance against Cedar Shoals in 2022 when he caught eight passes for 142 yards with two touchdowns at receiver in addition to recording a rushing touchdown and a pick-six, giving him four total touchdowns in that game … listed as No. 20 athlete in the country by Rivals, which also listed him as the No. 42 overall player in Georgia … On3 ranked him as No. 14 athlete and 53rd-best player in Georgia.
Personal: Born Feb. 28, 2005 … committed to Clemson on Dec. 16, 2022 … originally committed to Wake Forest … later narrowed college decisions to Clemson, Oklahoma and Notre Dame, the first two of which recruited him as a defensive player and the latter of which pursued him as a receiver … enrolled at Clemson in January 2023 … communication major … first name pronounced “CUH-leel.”
Note: Tackle stats in the written bio above reflect statistics from coaches film review. Tackle stats in the automated Stats tab of this page reflect those as awarded by gameday stat crews.
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