Ex-North Oconee standout Khalil Barnes to transfer to Georgia football
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Khalil Barnes is staying home for his next college stop.
The safety, who starred locally at North Oconee High, is transferring from Clemson to play for Georgia football.
Barnes announced his decision Sunday Jan. 3 on his Instagram account.
The 6-foot, 200-pound Barnes had 46 tackles and 5 pass breakups for the Tigers in 10 games. He had 7 interceptions at Clemson, all in his first two seasons. In 37 career games, Barnes racked up 139 tackles, a sack and forced three fumbles.
Georgia is looking for safety help this cycle. It is losing senior starter JaCorey Thomas.
Barnes started 30 games at Clemson where was a freshman All-American in 2023. He doesn't turn 21 until Feb. 28, but graduated in December.
Barnes is the first new transfer addition for the 2026 season for Georgia.
Khali Barnes was around Georgia games growing up in the area because his father’s mother owned Peaches Fine Foods.
“KB kind of grew up in and around the UGA football program — he’d hang out in the recruiting lounge, running around and playing catch, on the sideline in pregame catching passes,” Ken told the Athens Banner-Herald in 2022. “He was always around football. I started noticing early on that he could catch well and was fast. He understood the game enough that he wanted to sit around and talk about it.”
Barnes was a one-time commitment to Wake Forest out of North Oconee, who picked Clemson over Oklahoma, Notre Dame and others.
In his senior season, Barnes helped North Oconee to the state semifinals in 2022 and a 13-1 record.
He was the Region 8-4A player of the year as a senior with eight interceptions, seven pass breakups, 44 tackles, a forced fumble, two defensive touchdowns and a punt return for a score as well 879 yards receiving, 442 rushing and 15 touchdowns.
This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Georgia football lands former North Oconee star Khalil Barnes as transfer
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