Derrick Barnes (American football)

{{Infobox NFL biography

| name = Derrick Barnes

| image =

| caption =

| current_team = Detroit Lions

| number = 55

| position = Linebacker

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1999|5|29}}

| birth_place = Covington, Kentucky, U.S.

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 0

| weight_lb = 240

| high_school = Holy Cross (Covington)

| college = Purdue (2017–2020)

| draftyear = 2021

| draftround = 4

| draftpick = 113

| pastteams =

Detroit Lions ({{NFL Year|2021}}–present)

| status = Active

| highlights =

Second-team All-Big Ten (2020)

| statweek = 3

| statseason = 2024

| statlabel1 = Total tackles

| statvalue1 = 205

| statlabel2 = Sacks

| statvalue2 = 4.0

| statlabel3 = Forced fumbles

| statvalue3 = 1

| statlabel4 = Fumble recoveries

| statvalue4 =

| statlabel5 = Pass deflections

| statvalue5 = 4

| statlabel6 = Interceptions

| statvalue6 =

| statlabel7 = Defensive touchdowns

| statvalue7 =

| pfr = B/BarnDe02

}}

Derrick Danta Barnes Jr. (born May 29, 1999) is an American professional football linebacker for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Purdue Boilermakers and was selected by the Lions in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL draft.

Early life

Barnes grew up in Covington, Kentucky and attended Holy Cross High School, where he played basketball and ran track in addition to playing linebacker and running back on the football team, coached by former Cincinnati Bengal, Bruce Kozerski.{{Cite web |last=Weber |first=James |date=October 25, 2018 |title=Catching up: Holy Cross grad Barnes plays big for Purdue in upset of Ohio State |url=https://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/high-school/2018/10/25/holy-cross-grad-shines-boilermakers/1756586002/ |access-date=April 8, 2021 |website=The Cincinnati Enquirer}} As a senior, he was named first-team All-State

and the Class 2-A, District Six Player of the Year after leading the team with 126 tackles on defense and rushing for 1,567 yards and 22 touchdowns on 150 carries on offense.{{Cite web |last=Frakes |first=Jason |date=December 23, 2016 |title=All-State: Derrick Barnes, Covington Holy Cross |url=https://www.courier-journal.com/story/sports/preps/kentucky/2016/12/23/all-state-derrick-barnes-covington-holy-cross/95769334/ |access-date=April 8, 2021 |website=The Courier-Journal}} Barnes originally committed to play college football at Toledo going into his senior year, but changed his commitment to Purdue after receiving an offer from new head coach Jeff Brohm.{{Cite web |last=Weber |first=James |date=February 1, 2017 |title=Holy Cross' Derrick Barnes flips from Toledo to Purdue |url=https://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/high-school/kentucky-high-school/2017/02/01/holy-cross-barnes-play-football-toledo/97321316/ |access-date=April 8, 2021 |website=The Cincinnati Enquirer}}

College career

Barnes played in 12 games with two starts during his freshman season.{{Cite web |last=Hall |first=Erik |date=November 17, 2018 |title=A look at Derrick Barnes' Purdue football career |url=https://www.jconline.com/picture-gallery/sports/2018/11/17/look-derrick-barnes-purdue-football-career/2042669002/ |access-date=April 8, 2021 |website=Journal & Courier}} He became a starter as a sophomore and finished the season with 92 tackles with 8 tackles for loss and 3 sacks.{{Cite web |last=Arland |first=JD |date=February 28, 2020 |title=Purdue's Derrick Barnes is Back at Linebacker |url=https://www.si.com/college/purdue/football/derrick-barnes-back-at-linebacker |access-date=April 8, 2021 |website=SI.com}} After the regular season, he was moved to the defensive end position going into 2018 Music City Bowl.{{Cite web |last=Carmin |first=Mike |date=December 8, 2018 |title=Purdue linebacker Derrick Barnes moving to pass rushing spot for bowl game |url=https://www.jconline.com/story/sports/college/purdue/football/2018/12/08/purdue-linebacker-derrick-barnes-moving-pass-rushing-spot-bowl-game/2239775002/ |access-date=April 8, 2021 |website=Journal & Courier}} He stayed as a pass rusher during his junior season and finished the year tied for the second most sacks on the team with 7.5 along with 11.0 tackles for loss.{{Cite web |date=February 28, 2020 |title=Purdue's Derrick Barnes returns to familiar territory at linebacker |url=https://www.jconline.com/story/sports/2020/02/28/purdues-derrick-barnes-returns-familiar-territory-linebacker/4901635002/ |access-date=April 8, 2021 |website=Journal & Courier}} As a senior, Barnes returned to the middle linebacker position and led the Boilermakers with 54 total tackles and was second on the team in tackles for loss with 5.5 and was named second-team All-Big Ten.{{Cite web |date=December 29, 2020 |title=Derrick Barnes, Purdue LB from Holy Cross HS, invited to Senior Bowl |url=https://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/college/2020/12/29/derrick-barnes-purdue-university-boilermakers-linebacker-holy-cross-high-school-senior-bowl-invite/4070437001/ |access-date=April 8, 2021 |website=The Cincinnati Enquirer}}

Professional career

{{NFL predraft

| height ft = 6

| height in = 0 3/8

| weight = 238

| dash = 4.57

| ten split = 1.70

| twenty split = 2.58

| shuttle = 4.32

| cone drill =

| vertical = 37.0

| broad ft = 9

| broad in = 11

| bench = 29

| arm span = 33 3/8

| hand span = 9 3/4

| wonderlic =

| note = All values from Pro Day{{Cite web |title=Derrick Barnes Draft and Combine Prospect Profile |url=https://www.nfl.com/prospects/derrick-barnes/32004241-5227-0415-c343-163ac0ff5d48 |access-date=July 11, 2022 |website=NFL.com}}{{Cite web |title=2021 Draft Scout Derrick Barnes, Purdue NFL Draft Scout College Football Profile |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=1024949&DraftYear=2021 |access-date=July 11, 2022 |website=draftscout.com}}{{Cite web |title=Derrick Barnes 2021 NFL Draft Profile |url=https://insider.espn.com/nfl/draft/player/_/id/105212 |access-date=July 11, 2022 |website=insider.espn.com}}

}}

Barnes was drafted in the fourth round, 113th overall, by the Detroit Lions in the 2021 NFL draft.{{Cite web |last=Monarrez |first=Carlos |date=May 1, 2021 |title=Detroit Lions trade up for Purdue LB Derrick Barnes, who has a special tattoo |url=https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2021/05/01/derrick-barnes-detroit-lions-trade-nfl-draft-2021/4904106001/ |access-date=May 1, 2021 |newspaper=Detroit Free Press}} He signed his four-year rookie contract with Detroit on June 17, 2021.{{Cite web |last=Levine |first=Ben |date=June 17, 2021 |title=NFL Draft Pick Signings: 6/17/21 |url=https://www.profootballrumors.com/2021/06/nfl-draft-pick-signings-6-17-21#ref=home |access-date=May 23, 2023 |website=Pro Football Rumors}}

On January 21, 2024, during the NFC divisional round game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Barnes intercepted a pass thrown by Baker Mayfield in the final two minutes of the game, securing the Lions' victory and sending them to the NFC Championship Game for the first time since 1991.{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2024/01/21/derrick-barnes-interception-punches-lions-ticket-to-san-francisco/72306118007/ |title=Derrick Barnes' interception punches Lions' ticket to San Francisco |publisher=USA Today |first=Barry |last=Werner |date=January 21, 2024 |access-date=January 21, 2024}}

Barnes started 3 games for Detroit in the 2024 season, recording 10 combined tackles. On September 24, 2024, he was placed on injured reserve with a knee injury.{{Cite web|title=Lions Place Davenport, Barnes on IR, Sign Patrick to Active Roster|url=https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/news/lions-place-davenport-barnes-ir-sign-patrick|access-date=January 10, 2025|website=si.com|language=en}} On January 7, 2025, head coach Dan Campbell announced that Barnes would miss the remainder of the season.{{Cite web|title=Lions Injury Updates: Arnold, Zeitler, Davis, Barnes|url=https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/news/lions-injury-updates-arnold-zeitler-davis-barnes|access-date=January 10, 2025|website=si.com|language=en}}

On March 7, 2025, Barnes signed a three-year, $25.5 million contract extension with the Lions.{{cite web|title=Lions, Derrick Barnes agree to three-year deal|url=https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/lions-derrick-barnes-agree-to-three-year-deal|author=Simmons, Myles|work=Pro Football Talk|publisher=NBC Sports|date=March 7, 2025}}

Personal life

During the 11th Annual NFL Honors on February 10, 2022, NFL veteran and 2021 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award winner Andrew Whitworth told a story about himself and Barnes reuniting after a 2021 Week 7 game between the Los Angeles Rams and Lions; Barnes approached Whitworth after the game to thank him for his earlier mentorship through Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Cincinnati.{{Cite web |last=Gordon |first=Grant |date=February 10, 2022 |title=Rams OT Andrew Whitworth named 2021 NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/rams-ot-andrew-whitworth-named-2021-nfl-walter-payton-man-of-the-year |access-date=February 10, 2022 |website=NFL.com}}

References

External links

[https://www.detroitlions.com/team/players-roster/derrick-barnes/ Detroit Lions bio]
[https://purduesports.com/sports/football/roster/derrick-barnes/9969 Purdue Boilermakers bio]

Category:Living people

Category:Players of American football from Kentucky

Category:American football linebackers

Category:Purdue Boilermakers football players

Category:Sportspeople from Covington, Kentucky

Category:Detroit Lions players

Category:1999 births