Dante Barnett (defensive lineman)

Last updated
Dante Barnett
Personal information
Born: (2003-02-11) February 11, 2003 (age 22)
Birmingham, England
Height:6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight:275 lb (125 kg)
Career information
Position: Defensive lineman
NFL draft: 2025: undrafted
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only

Dante Barnett (born February 11, 2003) is an English football defensive tackle. He joined the National Football League (NFL) through the International Player Pathway Program after signing with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2025.

Contents

Early life

Barnett is from Birmingham, England, and played a number of sports growing up but took to American football and had successful try-outs at the NFL Academy located at Loughborough University in Leicestershire between 2019 and 2021. After three years at the NFL Academy, Barnett tried making the jump to American college football and received offers from schools in Texas such as Texas Christian University (TCU), Southern Methodist University (SMU), and the University of Houston, but did not have the grades, and instead went to a NCAA Division III school, Dickinson College in Pennsylvania, where he played for a year in 2022. He later became part of the NFL's International Player Pathway. [1] [2] [3]

Career

During the University of South Florida pro day in March, he was clocked running a 4.59 40-yard dash. On April 27, 2025, Barnett signed with the Cincinnati Bengals as an undrafted free agent. [3] On July 22, the Bengals released him. [4]

Personal life

His father died when he was young. He previously worked at a Jaguar-Land Rover plant. [1] He is of Jamaican descent. [3]

References

  1. 1 2 Fenner, Jake (28 April 2025). "Dante Barnett turned to football to escape tragedy. Now, he's in the 2025 draft and on the brink of the NFL". msn.com. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  2. "Irish kickers named on NFL's 2025 International Player Pathway programme". Sky Sports. 27 February 2025. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 Sheeran, John (April 27, 2025). "Bengals sign exceptionally athletic undrafted free agent without sacrificing an offseason roster space to fit him". atozofsports. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  4. Heltman, Russ (July 22, 2025). "Bengals Release Defensive Tackle Ahead of Training Camp". SI.com. Retrieved July 22, 2025.