Zaire Barnes

Last updated

Zaire Barnes
Zaire Barnes (51427280766).jpg
Barnes with the Western Michigan Broncos in 2021
No. 46 – New York Giants
Position Linebacker
Roster statusActive
Personal information
Born (1999-09-03) September 3, 1999 (age 26)
Mundelein, Illinois, U.S.
Height6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight232 lb (105 kg)
Career information
High school Carmel Catholic (Mundelein)
College Western Michigan (2018–2022)
NFL draft 2023: 6th round, 184th overall pick
Career history
Awards and highlights
  • First-team All-MAC (2022)
  • Second-team All-MAC (2021)
Career NFL statistics as of Week 6, 2025
Total tackles 1
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Zaire Barnes (born September 3, 1999) is an American professional football linebacker for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Western Michigan Broncos.

Contents

College career

Barnes was rated a three-star recruit by 247Sports during his high school career. [1] He committed to Western Michigan on June 18, 2017, over offers from Cincinnati, Bowling Green, and Central Michigan. [2] [3]

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables
HeightWeightArm lengthHand span 40-yard dash 10-yard split20-yard split 20-yard shuttle Three-cone drill Vertical jump Broad jump Bench press
6 ft 1+5⁄8 in
(1.87 m)		232 lb
(105 kg)		32 in
(0.81 m)		9 in
(0.23 m)		4.56 s1.57 s2.63 s4.27 s7.02 s34.0 in
(0.86 m)		10 ft 3 in
(3.12 m)		20 reps
Sources: [4] [5]

New York Jets

Barnes was selected in the sixth round, 184th overall, of the 2023 NFL draft by the New York Jets. [6] On May 5, he signed a four-year contract with the Jets. [7] In the 2023 season, he appeared in four games. [8]

Barnes was placed on injured reserve on September 9, 2024. [9]

Barnes was waived by the Jets on August 27, 2025. [10]

New York Giants

On August 29, 2025, Barnes was signed to the New York Giants' practice squad. [11] On October 18, Barnes was elevated from the practice squad to the active roster prior to the Giants’ Week 7 matchup against the Denver Broncos. [12] On November 8, he was signed to the active roster. [13]

Personal life

Barnes is of Filipino and African American descent. [14]

References

  1. ↑ "Zaire Barnes Recruiting Profile". 247Sports.com. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  2. ↑ "Zaire Barnes 247". 247Sports.com. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  3. ↑ "Zaire Barnes". WMUSports.com. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  4. ↑ "Jets select Zaire Barnes with No. 184 pick in 2023 draft". NFL.com. Retrieved April 29, 2023.
  5. ↑ "2023 NFL Draft Scout Zaire Barnes College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved April 29, 2023.
  6. ↑ Wells, MacGregor (April 29, 2023). "2023 NFL Draft: Jets select Zaire Barnes with No. 184 overall pick". GangGreenNation.com. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  7. ↑ Esden Jr., Paul A. (May 6, 2023). "Jets Lock in Versatile Defender on 4-Year Contract". Heavy.com . Retrieved May 8, 2023.
  8. ↑ "Zaire Barnes 2023 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
  9. ↑ Greenberg, Ethan (September 9, 2024). "Jets Sign OL Jake Hanson, LB Sam Eguavoen to Active Roster, Place LB Zaire Barnes on IR". NewYorkJets.com. Retrieved June 7, 2025.
  10. ↑ Weir, Susanna (August 27, 2025). "Jets Awarded LB Cam Jones, OT Esa Pole and TE Jelani Woods". NewYorkJets.com.
  11. ↑ Salomone, Dan (August 29, 2025). "Giants re-sign WR Gunner Olszewski, add 2 to practice squad; CB Rico Payton to IR". Giants.com.
  12. ↑ "Giants activate OLB Victor Dimukeje, LB Zaire Barnes, WR Lil'Jordan Humphrey". Giants.com. October 18, 2025. Retrieved October 22, 2025.
  13. ↑ "Giants activate 4 for Sunday; 2 to injured reserve". giants.com. Retrieved November 9, 2025.
  14. ↑ Barnes, Zaire (May 17, 2025). "Instagram". Instagram. Retrieved October 12, 2025.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.