Barnes Does it All
ROCKWALL, Texas - Whenever powerhouse Southlake Carroll hits the road the Dragons need to bring their best as there is no doubt that their opponent will be looking to making a headline for themselves. That was no exception when Oklahoma safety commit Robert Barnes and his teammates headed to the extreme Eastern outskirts of Dallas to take on Rockwall high school.
On the night Barnes would make numerous tackles but it was his 34-yard touchdown to end the first half that truly stood out in Carroll's 30-23 win over Rockwall.
Barnes, who is currently ranked as the nation's No. 14 safety, shined for Carroll in spite of Rockwall doing all that they could to shy away from him. And with that reluctance to go near the nation's No. 150 overall player Barnes had to find other ways to impact the game and as he had the week before he did so on offense.
On the night Barnes had three receptions for 48-yards including the 34 yard score. Through the night Barnes showed that his footwork continues to improve and is an exemplary trait for a 6-foot-3, 198-pound defender.
Barnes' length and natural range make it clear why many were wowed by him at The Opening this summer, unlike most his size Barnes has the ability to work in certain man-to-man situations against high-level competition.
Barnes is still a bit lanky and would likely need a little time to fill out his frame once he hits a college campus but all the tools are there to be a difference maker for Oklahoma.
NOTES:
*Along with Barnes, the other player on the field holding an Oklahoma offer was Rockwall 2018 linebacker Alston Orji. Orji is an impressive looking inside linebacker target, though perhaps just a notch on the smaller side. Orji is a quality athlete who can make tackles in space and shows the raw tools to be a solid pass defender, the question may be how he'll continue to physically develop. He is already so powerfully put together that there may not be a ton of room for growth.
*His younger brother, Anfernee Orji, is a player that looks somewhat physically similar to Barnes in spite of just being a sophomore. Orji has real length and works largely as a nickelback/safety type but looks to be the type to grow into a linebacker given more than two years left to go before he signs his letter of intent.