South Carolina football lands another commitment from Tar Heel state
South Carolina football went into the Tar Heel state for another recruit for the Class of 2026.
Greensboro’s Grimsley High defensive back Kosci Barnes committed to Shane Beamer and the Gamecocks on Saturday evening in a ceremony at the school’s football stadium.
Barnes picked the Gamecocks over North Carolina, Miami, Mississippi State, Rutgers and Kentucky. He had a hat with from all of the schools on the table and put on the Gamecocks’ one when he made the choice.
Barnes becomes the 14th commitment for the Class of 2026 and fourth from North Carolina, joining twins DL Aiden Harris and LB Andrew Harris (Weddington High in Matthews) and DL Noah Clark (Jordan High in Durham).
The Gamecocks offered Barnes in April, and he took an official visit to South Carolina in June.
247Sports Composite ranks the 6-foot-3, 190-pound Barnes as a three-star prospect, the No. 50 corner in the class and the No. 622 recruit nationally.
Barnes’ size and length is something that USC defensive backs coach Torrian Gray liked early on in the recruiting process.
“He likes my aggression and my size,” Barnes told Phil Kornblut in April. “He said I’m true to size and I can run really well. He said most DBs they’ve recruited have lied about height and I’m really true to my size. With me being this tall and being able to run and cover guys up, it’s a pretty good feature to have, and he feels like they can use me really early.”
Barnes had 59 tackles and three interceptions last season in helping Grimsley to a 16-0 record and state championship.
South Carolina 2026 football commitments
▪ Anthony Baxter (OL) — Committed on May 5, 2024
▪ Keenan Britt (DE) — Committed on Aug. 5, 2024
▪ Jamel Howse (TE) — Committed on Oct. 5, 2024
▪ J’zavien Currence (DB) Committed on Oct. 17, 2024
▪ Zyon Guiles (OL) — committed on March 20, 2025
▪ Aiden Harris (DL) — committed on June 7, 2025
▪ Andrew Harris (LB) — committed on June 7, 2025
▪ KJ Johnson (DB) — committed on June 9, 2025
▪ Sequel Patterson (WR) — committed on June 26, 2025
▪ Noah Clark (DL) — committed on July 2, 2025
▪ Kamari Blair (OL) — committed on July 16, 2025
▪ Triston Lewis (DB) — committed on July 17, 2025
▪ Landon Duckworth (QB) — committed on July 18, 2025
▪ Kosci Barnes (DB) — committed on July 26, 2025
This story was originally published July 26, 2025 at 7:38 PM.
