SCOOPHD: Barnes Surprises his Sooner Father

SOUTHLAKE, Texas - As the son of a former Sooner it's hard to imagine a much stronger connection to the program than that of class of 2017 Rivals250 safety Robert Barnes. The Carroll high school standout committed last week, just days after a successful journey to the Sooner state where he and his Dragons teammates pulled off a strong 34-30 win over Oklahoma powerhouse Tulsa Union.

The 6-foot-3, 189-pound defensive back took some time, following another win over a traditional power, to talk with SCOOPHD about his decision as well as the 52-14 demolition of the Midland Lee Rebels.

SCOOPHD: 2017 OU COMMIT ROBERT BARNES

On the night the big man faced a run-heavy Lee offense that rarely challenged Carroll through the air so Barnes' primary role was playing in the last line of defense and, with one exception, Barnes did a near perfect job in the role. He made one solid open field tackle after another in whatever manner necessary.

The nation's No. 12 safety in the class of 2017 had a big hit early on a receiver turning up the field but for the most part simply made his tackles and continued on with his day.

Barnes is a big-bodied safety who figures to get more violent with his style of play as he continues to fill out and grows into his frame. Texas' No. 20 overall junior looked comfortable with his footwork on the rare occasions when he was dropping into coverage. The downfall of the opponent was that there were few occasions to watch Barnes work in true coverage situations.

NOTES:

*One-time Oklahoma offer, and current Texas commitment, Obi Eboh had a solid night showing off a real willingness to be physical in the run game. On the night he delivered several big hits and did a nice job shedding would-be blockers.

*One of the emerging names in the Dallas metroplex is Carroll offensive tackle Lucas Tribble. The 6-foot-5, 270-pound offensive tackle has gone from relatively unknown to a growing commodity in the matter of a few weeks. This growing attention stems from a nice frame that has plenty of room to add weight as well as good feet that make him look natural working in space and getting to the second level of blocks.

*In both of Carroll's remaining two elite senior products, Zach Farrar and Lil'Jordan Humphrey there is a question of where they may fit into college plans. Farrar's huge frame and impressive physique could see him turn into a tight end or perhaps as a rush outside linebacker if he can fit into the physicality of the game. On the night Humphrey was perhaps the most dominant player on the field with 10 carries for 131-yards and a one-yard touchdown run, he showed his versatility with 10 receptions for 153-yards and three touchdowns (10, 16, 36). Humphrey stars as running back for the Dragons but could slide to receiver in the college game.