South Carolina lands 2026 commitment from impressive North Carolina DB
By Paul Harvey
Published:
South Carolina is working hard on its 2026 recruiting class, and the Gamecocks have landed another key piece late in July before we turn the calendar to August.
On Saturday, Shane Beamer and his staff reeled in a commitment from defensive back Kosci Barnes, a lengthy 6-foot-2 prospect out of Grimsley High School in Greensboro, North Carolina. Barnes generated over a dozen offers and was a late-rising recruit on some radars, but South Carolina won out in the end.
The Gamecocks landed the eventual commitment over Kentucky and Miami:
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Barnes is listed at 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds and helped lead his Grimsley squad to an undefeated North Carolina 4A state title in 2024. In that campaign, Barnes produced 59 tackles, 5 pass breakups and 3 interceptions.
According to the 247 Sports Composite, Barnes is a 3-star recruit and the 27th overall player out of North Carolina for the class of 2026. He’s also the No. 49 CB in the entire country.
July has been a hot month for the Gamecocks on the recruiting trail, especially after landing 4-star quarterback Landon Duckworth. The addition of Barnes brings South Carolina’s class up to 14 hard commitments, a group that ranks 22nd nationally per the team composite.
Paul Harvey lives in Atlanta and covers SEC football.
