Clemson Football: Freshmen who will see the field in 2023
By John Chancey
Khalil Barnes
- Number: 36
- Position: Safety
- Height: 6’-0”
- Weight: 195
- High School: North Oconee High School
- Hometown: Athens, Georgia
- 247Sports Rating: 3-star
Another three-star that was once committed to an ACC rival, in this case Wake Forest. Barnes decided to re-open his recruitment and gave strong consideration to Notre Dame, but ultimately selected Clemson.
Like Lewis, Barnes enrolled early and people that laid eyeballs on him in practice had good things to say. That shined through in the Spring Game. Now in fall camp comes word that he has been repping 2nd team nickel behind Andrew Mukuba.
Jalyn Phillips today, when asked about depth in Clemson's safety room, said "We're loaded."
— Jon Blau (@Jon_Blau) August 11, 2023
Agrees with the premise that younger safeties, beyond himself/Mukuba/Mickens, could see snaps because of Clemson's 4-2-5 and hybrid "nickel" spot.
Khalil Barnes repping 2nd team nickel.
One other thing to note: when it comes to redshirts, it doesn’t matter if your snaps come on defense or special teams. Barnes has gotten a few mentions from the staff about having a role on special teams.
He might not be limited to that, however. If the staff thinks he has the ability to play the hybrid safety/nickel spot, then they likely see something special in his abilities. The veteran presence in the first-string means he can continue to learn without being pressed into a starting role, but he will get on-the-job training.
Just another 3-star that is exceeding expectations.