Former Clemson Safety Khalil Barnes Announces Transfer Commitment

The Clemson safety has made a transfer to a SEC school as head coach Dabo Swinney looks for depth at the postition through the portal.

Clemson safety Khalil Barnes has transferred to Georgia, which is close to home for the Athens, Georgia, native. | GREENVILLE NEWS-USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

Former Clemson Tigers safety Khalil Barnes has his new team, and it’s close to home for him. 

Barnes has committed to Georgia, sources tell ESPN’s Pete Thamel. He is expected to have a year of eligibility remaining. The Athens, Georgia, native makes the switch from ACC to the SEC with the decision. 

BREAKING: Clemson transfer Safety Khalil Barnes has Committed to Georgia, he tells @On3sports

Through 3 seasons he’s totaled 139 tackles, 7 INT, 18 PD, 11 PBU, and 6.5 TFL

3 year starter and was named a Freshman All-American

Repped by @ShawnODarehttps://t.co/RlUbB6Fk7q pic.twitter.com/7D754LAwrs

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) January 4, 2026

He finishes his Clemson career with a total of 139 total tackles, 6.5 tackles for a loss, three forced fumbles, 11 pass break ups and seven interceptions, starting in 30 of 37 appearances with the Tigers. 

The junior was a consistent starter for the Tigers over his three seasons with the team. He burst out onto the scene in 2023, being a freshman All-American that seasons after being the first player to record multiple forced fumbles and inteceptions in a season under head coach Dabo Swinney. He was also a third team All-ACC selection that season. 

He picked up where he left off in 2024, recording four interceptions, a team-high. He was the first player to record at least seven interceptions in his first two seasons since Rashard Hall’s eight recorded in 2009-10. 

The safety saw a dip in statistics this season while fighting an injury. Barnes recorded 40 total tackles and a tackle for loss, recording a pair of pass deflections and break ups each. The interceptions went to his fellow safety, Ricardo Jones, who recorded a team-high six interceptions after this season. 

Coming out of high school, he was a three-star recruit, according to 247Sports, choosing the Tigers over Wake Forest, Notre Dame and Georgia Tech. It is important to note that Georgia did not offer Barnes coming out of high school, despite being from where the Bulldogs’ campus is. 

Barnes was one of the first Tigers in the transfer portal, declaring that he would enter on Dec. 9, before Clemson’s Pinstripe Bowl game against Penn State. He did not play in that game either, most likely negotiating with other teams at that point. 

For Swinney, he will continue to look for safety depth within the room, which has lost Barnes, Jones and Rob Billings through the portal. Senior Tyler Venables is also out of eligibility, meaning that the team will need to look through the portal to find more at the position. 

Stay updated with Clemson Tigers on SI’s transfer portal tracker, which will provide live updates of every player leaving and arriving to the program.