As Notre Dame awaits a decision on 2023 three-star wide receiver target Taeshaun Lyons, the Irish offered three-star Khalil Barnes on Oct. 13.
Barnes is a 6-foot-1, 185-pound athlete from Bogart (Ga.) North Oconee High that reports 28 scholarship offers.
Although Rivals' FutureCast is trending toward Clemson, Barnes is still weighing his options and has two big official visits planned.
Inside ND Sports caught up with Barnes Sunday to learn the latest on his recruitment. Questions are shortened. Answers are edited lightly for length and clarity.
A note: Notre Dame is recruiting him as a WR, Clemson DB, Wake Forest DB and Oklahoma as an ATH.
Inside ND Sports: When did Notre Dame first reach out to you?
Barnes: "They reached out about two weeks before the offer. (Director of recruiting) (Chad) Bowden, literally texted me out of the blue one day. I guess I didn't text back fast enough, so they called me. We were on the phone for about 10 minutes, talking about life. They're really interested. He did his due diligence and learned about me and what I'm like other than football.
"Then, I sent him my (academic) transcript, and it was quiet for about a week. They texted me a little bit. I got on the phone with him the day I got the offer, and after that, they offered me."
Who was the coach that offered?
"(Wide receivers) Coach (Chansi) Stuckey."
How often have you talked to Coach Stuckey since he extended the offer?
"I was literally supposed to FaceTime him. I was at Clemson this weekend. I was supposed to FaceTime him, but I was at the game. So, we'll probably get on the phone in the next few days. But yeah, I still talk to coach Stuckey a lot."
What's been your impression of him so far?
"He throws a good pitch for himself. I mean, it's just like every coach, but coach Stuckey just seems a little bit different. He's a guy I'd be able to trust. He's from Georgia. So he likes the same state stuff I like. He talks about a lot of the same stuff I talk about. He's a man of faith and that means a lot to me."
Have you talked to anyone else from Notre Dame?
"I've texted with (head) coach (Marcus) Freeman a good amount, and we were gonna FaceTime, but again, I was at Clemson. I'll probably talk to him within the next few days."
I know you mentioned faith — it seems to be a big part of your makeup. So when you got the Notre Dame offer, was that special to you? Or was this maybe another offer that you were expecting to come?
"Honestly, I can just say it felt like this school has been contacting me a lot, I wouldn't be surprised if they offer. I'm a big college football fan, but I didn't really know a lot about Notre Dame when I first got that offer.
"But I've been talking to coach Stuckey, and he says we'll talk more about it when I get down there. He's given me a brief little history of how many alumni there are and how successful they are and everything.
"It was just like another moment of me seeing God working in my life, so it was cool."
Why is Notre Dame getting your third official visit?
"Notre Dame is good. When I talk to coach Stuckey, a lot of coaches pitch the same pitch — maybe he's just that — we'll see when I meet him in person. Maybe he's just a really good actor, but from what I've heard, what I've found and what he's told me, this is a guy that I can relate to a lot. I can see myself getting coached by coach (Stuckey).
"He's a man of faith. I trust him. Obviously, this was a big offer. It wasn't just like, everybody in my class has this type of offer. Only a certain number of kids in my class had that offer. So, it was cool to get it."
Why did you settle on Nov. 5 against Clemson as the date for your official visit?
"I didn't really choose it. It's gonna be a night game. So, I won't have to wake up, or get up and go to the airport at like 2 in the morning or nothing. I'll just be able to kind of go fly that day, be there for the game and be able to leave the next day too. It will be pretty easy."
Is there anything else that excites you about Notre Dame? What do you look for when you go on a visit? Is there anything that you're really excited to see once you get to Notre Dame?
"Personally, the main thing I look for is just relationships and feeling the place out. It's easy to sell your stuff on the phone because you can say a lot of things, but when you get that person, they can't just plan anything out. Stuff just happens on the snap. I like to see how that just all factors in and feels.
"Coach Stuckey and their staff said they got into my recruitment process late, but they said it's nothing like Notre Dame until you're there. I just want to get in there and kind of experience it."
Has there been a team to emerge that you're starting to feel really good about?
"It's crazy. Honestly, I still talk to Wake Forest a lot, but the main ones that I feel like I've been talking to are the last three I've gotten. It's probably just because they're new to reaching out, so I can see what I can get from them or what I feel from them.
"But Notre Dame, I just feel like there's something cool over there that I really want to check out. Clemson, obviously. I've been having that bond. And then, Oklahoma.
"All these schools have a lot in common. They kind of value faith and they value turning me into a great man and football player. But it's also a place where I can go to the NFL. They produce NFL athletes every year."
Are there any schools that you have on your radar? Or do you think these are going to be the main three schools you'll really be focused focusing on moving forward?
"Unless anything crazy happens, those three and then I still talk to Wake (Forest) a lot. I got love for UNC, but we haven't talked about a visit or anything."
Have you factored into your decision how important it will be to have a fair chance to play and an opportunity to compete?
"It does matter to me because I don't want to go somewhere where I am just going to be on the team and be another number. I want to go somewhere where I can grow my faith. At the end of the day, if they offer me just because I'm a guy who is gassed up the right way, puts God first and has good grades. They're offering me because I can play football and I have a chance to get on the field.
"Obviously, nowhere I'm just gonna be able to walk in and take over, but wherever I can at least have a fair shot — like if I go somewhere with a two-year starter who still has two years left, I feel like that's way harder to get on the field than going somewhere where they're just coming off a guy and they need someone step up and I can have the chance to fill that spot.
"I'm looking into it, but at the end of the day, I am going to have to be able to compete anywhere. So it's not just a main thing I worry about."
If you had to choose, do you think you would like to play offense more? Or are you feeling more comfortable at defense right now?
"I swear to you, I don't have a preference. I'm not saying it just because it sounds good. I've worked receiver for three years. The crazy thing about defense and me getting offered as a DB is last year was my first year playing DB, so this is my second year at DB. I feel comfortable with both.
"I feel like I can continue to work on both with the right coaching staff. I don't have a preference. Whatever feels the best academically, spiritually and where I can succeed and grow up as a man is where I'll end up."
Do you feel you're a little more ahead of the game at receiver than DB? Do you feel more confident or that you're better at WR right now?
"If I was at receiver, and I went against myself at DB, I think that in 10 tries, I'd win more at receiver than DB just because I feel like I have less stuff to work on at receiver, at least at the high school level right now. I don't think that I'm just that far off at DB. I feel like I have pretty good breaks, I'm pretty good at route recognition. I gotta keep growing both obviously, but yeah, I'd say that I'm more advanced right now at receiver."
Are there any other visits on your Horizon?
"I'm talking to Oklahoma to try to set up one, but I don't know if I'm gonna get there. They kind of want me to go there first to show that I'm interested and then set up an official visit, but I don't know, I kind of feel like it's too late in my recruitment, so we're just going to see how it plays out."
How are you weighing how long Clemson has recruited you compared to Notre Dame, plus the fact that you've been to Clemson so many more times?
"It's kind of hard because like, I've never been on an official with Clemson, so I feel like Notre Dame still has a really good shot at it.
"Coach Stuckey and those guys, they do a really good job, where they understand they're late. They feel like at least they need to talk more and just kind of build faster and better than Clemson."
Barnes is a 6-foot-1, 185-pound athlete from Bogart (Ga.) North Oconee High that reports 28 scholarship offers.
Although Rivals' FutureCast is trending toward Clemson, Barnes is still weighing his options and has two big official visits planned.
Inside ND Sports caught up with Barnes Sunday to learn the latest on his recruitment. Questions are shortened. Answers are edited lightly for length and clarity.
A note: Notre Dame is recruiting him as a WR, Clemson DB, Wake Forest DB and Oklahoma as an ATH.
Transcript
Inside ND Sports: When did Notre Dame first reach out to you?Transcript
Barnes: "They reached out about two weeks before the offer. (Director of recruiting) (Chad) Bowden, literally texted me out of the blue one day. I guess I didn't text back fast enough, so they called me. We were on the phone for about 10 minutes, talking about life. They're really interested. He did his due diligence and learned about me and what I'm like other than football.
"Then, I sent him my (academic) transcript, and it was quiet for about a week. They texted me a little bit. I got on the phone with him the day I got the offer, and after that, they offered me."
Who was the coach that offered?
"(Wide receivers) Coach (Chansi) Stuckey."
How often have you talked to Coach Stuckey since he extended the offer?
"I was literally supposed to FaceTime him. I was at Clemson this weekend. I was supposed to FaceTime him, but I was at the game. So, we'll probably get on the phone in the next few days. But yeah, I still talk to coach Stuckey a lot."
What's been your impression of him so far?
"He throws a good pitch for himself. I mean, it's just like every coach, but coach Stuckey just seems a little bit different. He's a guy I'd be able to trust. He's from Georgia. So he likes the same state stuff I like. He talks about a lot of the same stuff I talk about. He's a man of faith and that means a lot to me."
Have you talked to anyone else from Notre Dame?
"I've texted with (head) coach (Marcus) Freeman a good amount, and we were gonna FaceTime, but again, I was at Clemson. I'll probably talk to him within the next few days."
I know you mentioned faith — it seems to be a big part of your makeup. So when you got the Notre Dame offer, was that special to you? Or was this maybe another offer that you were expecting to come?
"Honestly, I can just say it felt like this school has been contacting me a lot, I wouldn't be surprised if they offer. I'm a big college football fan, but I didn't really know a lot about Notre Dame when I first got that offer.
"But I've been talking to coach Stuckey, and he says we'll talk more about it when I get down there. He's given me a brief little history of how many alumni there are and how successful they are and everything.
"It was just like another moment of me seeing God working in my life, so it was cool."
Why is Notre Dame getting your third official visit?
"Notre Dame is good. When I talk to coach Stuckey, a lot of coaches pitch the same pitch — maybe he's just that — we'll see when I meet him in person. Maybe he's just a really good actor, but from what I've heard, what I've found and what he's told me, this is a guy that I can relate to a lot. I can see myself getting coached by coach (Stuckey).
"He's a man of faith. I trust him. Obviously, this was a big offer. It wasn't just like, everybody in my class has this type of offer. Only a certain number of kids in my class had that offer. So, it was cool to get it."
Why did you settle on Nov. 5 against Clemson as the date for your official visit?
"I didn't really choose it. It's gonna be a night game. So, I won't have to wake up, or get up and go to the airport at like 2 in the morning or nothing. I'll just be able to kind of go fly that day, be there for the game and be able to leave the next day too. It will be pretty easy."
Is there anything else that excites you about Notre Dame? What do you look for when you go on a visit? Is there anything that you're really excited to see once you get to Notre Dame?
"Personally, the main thing I look for is just relationships and feeling the place out. It's easy to sell your stuff on the phone because you can say a lot of things, but when you get that person, they can't just plan anything out. Stuff just happens on the snap. I like to see how that just all factors in and feels.
"Coach Stuckey and their staff said they got into my recruitment process late, but they said it's nothing like Notre Dame until you're there. I just want to get in there and kind of experience it."
Has there been a team to emerge that you're starting to feel really good about?
"It's crazy. Honestly, I still talk to Wake Forest a lot, but the main ones that I feel like I've been talking to are the last three I've gotten. It's probably just because they're new to reaching out, so I can see what I can get from them or what I feel from them.
"But Notre Dame, I just feel like there's something cool over there that I really want to check out. Clemson, obviously. I've been having that bond. And then, Oklahoma.
"All these schools have a lot in common. They kind of value faith and they value turning me into a great man and football player. But it's also a place where I can go to the NFL. They produce NFL athletes every year."
Are there any schools that you have on your radar? Or do you think these are going to be the main three schools you'll really be focused focusing on moving forward?
"Unless anything crazy happens, those three and then I still talk to Wake (Forest) a lot. I got love for UNC, but we haven't talked about a visit or anything."
Have you factored into your decision how important it will be to have a fair chance to play and an opportunity to compete?
"It does matter to me because I don't want to go somewhere where I am just going to be on the team and be another number. I want to go somewhere where I can grow my faith. At the end of the day, if they offer me just because I'm a guy who is gassed up the right way, puts God first and has good grades. They're offering me because I can play football and I have a chance to get on the field.
"Obviously, nowhere I'm just gonna be able to walk in and take over, but wherever I can at least have a fair shot — like if I go somewhere with a two-year starter who still has two years left, I feel like that's way harder to get on the field than going somewhere where they're just coming off a guy and they need someone step up and I can have the chance to fill that spot.
"I'm looking into it, but at the end of the day, I am going to have to be able to compete anywhere. So it's not just a main thing I worry about."
If you had to choose, do you think you would like to play offense more? Or are you feeling more comfortable at defense right now?
"I swear to you, I don't have a preference. I'm not saying it just because it sounds good. I've worked receiver for three years. The crazy thing about defense and me getting offered as a DB is last year was my first year playing DB, so this is my second year at DB. I feel comfortable with both.
"I feel like I can continue to work on both with the right coaching staff. I don't have a preference. Whatever feels the best academically, spiritually and where I can succeed and grow up as a man is where I'll end up."
Do you feel you're a little more ahead of the game at receiver than DB? Do you feel more confident or that you're better at WR right now?
"If I was at receiver, and I went against myself at DB, I think that in 10 tries, I'd win more at receiver than DB just because I feel like I have less stuff to work on at receiver, at least at the high school level right now. I don't think that I'm just that far off at DB. I feel like I have pretty good breaks, I'm pretty good at route recognition. I gotta keep growing both obviously, but yeah, I'd say that I'm more advanced right now at receiver."
Are there any other visits on your Horizon?
"I'm talking to Oklahoma to try to set up one, but I don't know if I'm gonna get there. They kind of want me to go there first to show that I'm interested and then set up an official visit, but I don't know, I kind of feel like it's too late in my recruitment, so we're just going to see how it plays out."
How are you weighing how long Clemson has recruited you compared to Notre Dame, plus the fact that you've been to Clemson so many more times?
"It's kind of hard because like, I've never been on an official with Clemson, so I feel like Notre Dame still has a really good shot at it.
"Coach Stuckey and those guys, they do a really good job, where they understand they're late. They feel like at least they need to talk more and just kind of build faster and better than Clemson."
