![]() Barnes with the Western Michigan Broncos in 2021 | |
No. 46 – New York Giants | |
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Position | Linebacker |
Roster status | Practice squad |
Personal information | |
Born | Mundelein, Illinois, U.S. | September 3, 1999
Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
Weight | 232 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 | |
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* Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |
Awards and highlights | |
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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.
Barnes was ranked as a three–star recruit by 247Sports.com coming out of high school. [1] He committed to Western Michigan on June 18, 2017, over offers from Cincinnati, Bowling Green, and Central Michigan. [2] [3]
Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-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 s | 1.57 s | 2.63 s | 4.27 s | 7.02 s | 34.0 in (0.86 m) | 10 ft 3 in (3.12 m) | 20 reps | |
Sources: [4] [5] |
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]
On August 29, 2025, Barnes was signed to the New York Giants practice squad. [11]