DB Ryan Barnes (6-1 175) of Gaithersburg, MD recently named his final 15, cutting his list down from about 35 offers. USC and Clemson are on that list along with Virginia Tech, Duke, Penn State, Notre Dme, Tennessee, Florida State, Michigan, Oregon, Virginia, Maryland, NC State, West Virginia and Georgia Tech. Here’s what Barnes had to say Thursday night about the Gamecocks and Tigers and their recruiting efforts with him.
On USC:
“Had some communication with Coach (Kyle) Krantz recently, Coach (Will) Muschamp as well. Just talking with them, having some light conversations. Nothing too much else. Mostly just texting. We’ll have some conversations here and there. Coach Muschamp texts me every day. So does Coach Krantz. Just continuing to build relationships with them and get to know them is kind of what we’re doing.”
“I know that it’s a great area. They kind of talk about it being a great area. And then the opportunity to be developed as a player is a big thing there. The academic side of things is also well established. We talk about how class would go with practice and everything. We talk a little football here and there, me and Coach Krantz. Other than that, there’s not much else.”
“I did a virtual visit with them. Just going thru campus and campus life, and game day and stuff like that, so I’ve been able to do that with them.
On Clemson:
“It’s mostly (talking with) Coach (Mike) Reed, Coach Miguel (Chavis) as well sometimes. It’s mostly text and calls. We’ve been to campus, so I know the campus environment and the way that they run things is very family oriented, which is something my parents like. They know I’ll be taken care of on and off the field, and I know I’ll be developed on and off the field there. Just continuing to build that relationship with them and just being able to have that bond. That’s kind of what we’re doing with them.”
As for moving ahead with his decision making process, Barnes is going to work off the list of his final 15 until he finally gets down to the one he wants.
“Just making the decision that’s best for me is kind of where we’re at with everything,” Barnes said. “We just narrowed down the list and we’re talking to a lot of the schools, just trying to figure out the best place for me. I’m probably just going to work off those 15, and sometime in the near future try to make that decison. The goal was always to do it before the season, it’s just kind of when we get that feeling. I’m trying to work toward that feeling, try to find somewhere that I can get that feeling that I know is a home. We’re praying and hoping that one day we do feel that way about a school coming up soon. When we do, we’ll sit down, and once we feel it’s the right option for me, we’ll pull that trigger.”
Barnes said he will sign early and he will graduate early and enroll in January. As for a position, he can play all five in the secondary and said the school he chooses will settle on a spot once he’s there. Barnes is considered a corner in the 247Sports Composite and is rated a 3-star with a national ranking of 43 and a Maryland ranking of 19.
