Where new South Carolina commit Kosci Barnes sits in the various rankings
South Carolina locked in a pledge from what of its top remaining recruiting targets Saturday evening when Greensboro (N.C.) Grimsley class of 2026 three-star cornerback Kosci Barnes announced his commitment during a ceremony at his school.
The 6-foot-2, 185-pounder, who chose the Gamecocks over Miami, Kentucky, Rutgers, North Carolina, and Mississippi State, was a fast-riser later in the recruiting process, landing most of his offers during the spring evaluation period.
MORE: Industry insights on new commit Kosci Barnes
Barnes, currently a three-star according to all the recruiting sites, could have some upward mobility in the rankings if he can continue that momentum through his senior season.
As a reminder, On3’s recent acquisition of Rivals has led to a shift in the rankings, as the evaluation teams that used to handle each have now combined into one unit that produces a single set of rankings under the Rivals banner.
The contraction in the recruiting industry has also led to a change in the Industry Ranking, which is now an average of three major companies instead of four.
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The Rivals Industry Ranking considers Barnes the No. 56 cornerback, No. 584 overall prospect, and the No. 26 prospect in North Carolina in the class with a high-three-star rating of 87.73.
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Rivals is highest, among the sites, on Barnes ranking him the No. 49 cornerback in the cycle though all three have ranked him in a similar spot.
Rivals and 247Sports both give Barnes a rating of 88, two points behind a four-star. 247 considers Barnes the No. 60 cornerback in the class.
ESPN ranks the long, athletic corner as the No. 55 corner.
Barnes is the fourth defensive back in the class, joining Rock Hill (S.C.) South Pointe four-star S J’Zavien Currence, Birmingham (Ala.) Woodlawn three-star CB K.J. Johnson, and Greenwood (S.C.) three-star ATH Triston Lewis.
“I committed to South Carolina because it felt like family,” Barnes told Rivals’ Chad Simmons. “The culture there, the passion they have for football and how I was treated by the coaches were some of the other reasons I chose South Carolina.”