DJ Barnes
DJ Barnes
Limited signal — not enough coverage for a story yet.
Career Arc
2025 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Kent State | 28 | 18 | 2.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 28 | 18 | 2.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2025
W 21–17
vs Merrimack
1 TOT
A wire-to-wire battle — won by 4 at home.
How he plays
Play style
Moves between deep coverage and the slot.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Kent State
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Defensive back · Kent State
Returning around him
- 11% of 2024 offensive production back (Heavy turnover)
- Transfer portal: -4 net (11 in / 15 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Kent State · Last season: 5-7 · Talent rank #128 · 2026 recruiting class #120
DNA match
Player DNA
Hybrid Nickel
Moves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB.
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Aamii Branch’s 2025 season.
Matches Aamii on
Differs from Aamii on
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a freshman, his production profile tracks closest to Ken Willis's freshman season at Cincinnati (2023).
Matches Ken on
Differs from Ken on
Heisman trajectory
Heisman Trajectory · 2025
Peak #13951
Peaked at #13951 this season.
Background
2025 (Junior) Appeared in all 12 games for the Golden Flashes Recorded 30 total tackles (20 unassisted, 10 assisted) Had 2.0 tackles for loss for 2 yards Forced a fumble at Texas Tech Posted a season-high 6 tackles against Massachusetts Had 5 tackles at both Oklahoma and Florida State