It became very prevalent that top recruits took official visits and then announced a commitment prior to their senior season ever since prospective student-athletes were allowed to take official visits during the spring and summer of their junior year, which began a couple years ago.
That is what Gaithersburg (Md.) Quince Orchard defensive back Ryan Barnes did, minus the official visits part due to the recruiting dead period because of the coronavirus pandemic. Barnes did his best to make a decision with the hand he was dealt.
“I took what I was given with the situation, which wasn’t a lot,” Barnes said. “I talked to coaches, current players, alumni — things like that. I got a basis on what their experience was and put that together with what I thought mine would be.”
On June 6, Barnes announced his commitment to Notre Dame, choosing the Irish over Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Oklahoma and Oregon.
“I took some time by myself to figure it out,” Barnes continued. “I knew I wasn’t going to be able to take any visits until the season, but that’s not what I wanted to do. I wanted to make a decision before the season. I took it upon myself to figure out what I felt the best place for me was.
“I felt inside that Notre Dame was my No. 1 and then I let my mom know that was what I wanted to do. I wanted to wait and tell my dad so I could surprise him. I talked to Coach [Brian] Kelly and some of the other coaches to let them know. Then I surprised my dad, and he was really excited. My whole family was excited.”
It was an entire staff effort in leading Barnes to his Notre Dame pledge, and defensive coordinator Clark Lea deserves a ton of credit. Barnes has kept in consistent communication with the Irish since his pledge, too.
“I’m still in contact with the Notre Dame coaches — building relationships with current players and kids in my class who are committed as well,” he said. “I’m happy with my decision; I’m glad I made it. It’s one of the biggest decisions to this point in my life.
“The flip thing is not going to happen for me. I’m 100 percent committed. There’s a little less communication [with the Notre Dame coaches], but it’s about the same. It’s gone from them trying to sway me to having real conversations and talking football.”
Of the current players, Barnes keeps in touch with safeties Kyle Hamilton and Houston Griffith.
“I’ll have questions about student life, and they’re able to give me great answers on that,” Barnes said.
A highlight of being pledged to the Irish is getting to know the fellow 2021 commitments.
“Everyone is scattered around the country, and we’re getting to know each other,” Barnes said. “We work together trying to get more players. It’s fun being a recruiter with my [future] teammates. I feel like Notre Dame is the place to be for a lot of these kids.”
Barnes is helping the Irish out on the recruiting front, especially when it comes to a fellow Maryland prospect in Baltimore Mount St. Joseph’s Dont’e Thornton Jr., a top wide receiver prospect in the 2021 class.
Barnes was such a coveted prospect before his commitment that other schools are trying to see if there’s an opening to get him off of his Irish verbal.
“I made it clear to [other coaches] that I’m 100 percent committed to Notre Dame,” Barnes said. “They know that. They’re still obviously going to try to get me to swing my decision, but I have let them know that I’m sticking with my decision.”
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