Who is Amare Barno? What Carolina Panthers fans need to know about the 2022 draft pick
South Carolina native and Virginia Tech defensive end Amare Barno was taken by the Carolina Panthers on Saturday in the sixth round (No. 189 overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft.
“We are fired up to have you,” Panthers coach Matt Ruhle told Barno on the phone in a video on the Panthers website. “We know your best football is ahead of you.”
Here are some things to know about the 6-foot-5, 246-pound Barno:
Barno turned head at combine
Barno made a big splash at the NFL combine in March when he ran a 4.36 in the 40-yard dash. It was the fastest time for a defensive end at the combine since 2002.
“I think anybody that runs that well is going to get everybody’s attention, going to send everybody back to the tape, study it, talk to everybody,” ESPN’s Mel Kiper told reporters before the draft about Barno. “Justin Fuente’s going to get calls. Everybody’s getting calls when Amare Barno makes that unbelievable, historically great combine workout.”
Barno as a high school recruit
Barno wasn’t heavily recruited coming out Westwood High in Blythewood, South Carolina. He didn’t have any stars in the 247Sports Composite rankings and ended up going to Butler Community College in Kansas.
Barno had 91 total tackles 5½ sacks, two interceptions and three forced fumbles in his two years at Butler Community College.
Position switch
Barno has excelled playing different positions throughout his career.
At Westwood High School, he was a safety and was named to the school’s all-decade team.
Barno played linebacker at Butler and his first season at Virginia Tech before moving to defensive end in 2020. He thrived in the position switch and led all Power Five players and ranked third in the FBS in 2020 with an ACC-high 16 tackles for loss.
As a senior with the Hokies in 2021, Barno totaled 35 tackles, 10 QB hurries and 3.5 sacks.
Barno’s stepdad familiar with Panther players
Barno’s family moved to Charlotte area and his stepfather Keith Middleton is a barber who has cut several of Panthers’ players hair. Barno was at a house on Lake Norman when he got the call from the Panthers this afternoon.
This story was originally published April 30, 2022 at 4:10 PM.
