Clemson football defensive back announces surprise transfer portal decision
Clemson football has its biggest portal entry yet.
Junior starting safety Khalil Barnes plans to transfer next month, he announced on social media. Barnes has been a key contributor for the Tigers defense over the past three seasons and was the team’s starting “rover” (strong safety) this year.
Barnes will have one year of eligibility remaining. He is one of the rare players to leave Clemson via the portal after being a regular starter that season, joining safety Andrew Mukuba (Texas) and receiver Beaux Collins (Notre Dame).
“This is one of the hardest decisions I’ve had to make,” Barnes wrote in a lengthy post on X (formerly Twitter) that praised Clemson’s coaches and program.
Recapping Khalil Barnes’ Clemson career
Barnes, a former three-star recruit and Wake Forest flip, earned Freshman All-America honors at Clemson in 2023. He had five tackles for loss, six pass breakups, three interceptions and nine pass breakups during that impressive season.
As a sophomore, Barnes continued his trajectory with a career-high 60 tackles and team-high four picks for a Tigers team that made the College Football Playoff. His seven interceptions across his first two years were the most by a Clemson player in his first two seasons since Rashad Hall in 2009-10.
But Barnes’ junior season was a rough one, as he missed two games with a hamstring injury, took a few games to get back to full strength after he returned and had his fair share of coverage busts and mistakes.
He was also on the wrong side of a viral moment when the ACC Network captured Barnes appearing to look disengaged as coach Dabo Swinney laid into the defensive unit after surrendering a few huge plays to Duke in the first half on Nov. 1. Swinney played down the moment when asked about it later.
The NCAA transfer portal window runs for 15 days from Jan. 2-16, 2026. Players cannot formally enter their name into the transfer portal until Jan. 2, although hundreds will declare their intent to enter the portal earlier than that date.
Once they are formally in the portal, player can commit to a school at any point. There is no spring transfer portal window, as the NCAA abolished it last fall.
Barnes leaves Clemson after one season under new defensive coordinator Tom Allen, who came to the Tigers after spending 2024 in the same role at Penn State.
“Coach Swinney didn’t have to take a chance on me as a small 3 star recruit.” Barnes wrote. “... I’m so appreciative of the wisdom and knowledge you gave me.”
Barnes also thanked his Clemson teammates and encouraged them to not let any “narrative” get in the way of what he said was the truth: “I gave everything I had for y’all and the paw (Clemson’s logo), and I mean that man.”
Barnes (6-0, 200) said he made the decision to transfer after lots of prayer.
“God put it on my heart so I just have to go head-first into it and trust him through it all,” Barnes wrote.
Clemson football 2025 transfers
- ATH Marquise Henderson (offseason)
- DB Shelton Lewis (mid-season)
- LB Dee Crayton
- RB Keith Adams Jr.
- S Khalil Barnes
This story was originally published December 9, 2025 at 4:00 PM with the headline "Clemson football defensive back announces surprise transfer portal decision."
