Zaire Barnes
American football player (born 1999)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Zaire Barnes (born September 3, 1999) is an American professional football linebacker for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Western Michigan Broncos.
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Mundelein, Illinois, U.S.
Barnes with the Western Michigan Broncos in 2021 | |||||||
| No. 46 – New York Giants | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Linebacker | ||||||
| Roster status | Active | ||||||
| Personal information | |||||||
| Born | September 3, 1999 Mundelein, Illinois, U.S. | ||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||
| Listed weight | 232 lb (105 kg) | ||||||
| Career information | |||||||
| High school | Carmel Catholic (Mundelein) | ||||||
| College | Western Michigan (2018–2022) | ||||||
| NFL draft | 2023: 6th round, 184th overall pick | ||||||
| Career history | |||||||
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| Awards and highlights | |||||||
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| Career NFL statistics as of 2025 | |||||||
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College career
A three-star recruit according to 247Sports,[1] Barnes committed to play college football for the Western Michigan Broncos on June 18, 2017, over offers from Bowling Green, Central Michigan, and Cincinnati.[2][3]
Professional career
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | Wingspan | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 1+5⁄8 in (1.87 m) | 232 lb (105 kg) | 32 in (0.81 m) | 9 in (0.23 m) | 6 ft 4+3⁄8 in (1.94 m) | 4.56 s | 1.57 s | 2.63 s | 4.27 s | 7.02 s | 34.0 in (0.86 m) | 10 ft 3 in (3.12 m) | 20 reps |
| All values from Pro Day[4][5] | ||||||||||||
New York Jets
Barnes was selected 184th overall by the New York Jets in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL draft.[6] On May 5, he signed a four-year contract with the Jets.[7] In the 2023 season, he appeared in four games.[8]
Barnes was placed on injured reserve on September 9, 2024.[9]
Barnes was waived by the Jets on August 27, 2025.[10]
New York Giants
On August 29, 2025, Barnes was signed to the New York Giants' practice squad.[11] On October 18, Barnes was elevated from the practice squad to the active roster prior to the Giants’ Week 7 matchup against the Denver Broncos.[12] On November 8, he was signed to the active roster.[13]
On March 14, 2026, Barnes re-signed with the Giants on a one-year contract.[14]
Personal life
Barnes is of Filipino and African American descent.[15]
