Ole Miss Football, Alabama Crimson Tide and Florida State in Mix for Elite Prospect

Now, his recruitment is taking off with the Ole Miss Rebels firmly in the race for his services.

Last weekend, Barnes was in Oxford for Ole Miss' season opener against the Georgia State Panthers with the Rebels coming away with a 63-7 victory.

Following the visit, Barnes told Rivals the trip "exceeded expectations" with Ole Miss keeping a foot on the gas.

“It was great — they made me feel at home from the beginning,” Barnes told Rivals. “I got to experience a lot of things like the Walk of Champions, which was rocking, and the atmosphere of the stadium when it’s filled up.”

“It definitely exceeded expectations. I can’t wait to get back when they play a rivalry or a ranked game. The atmosphere is like no other — they’re rocking from start to finish.”

Ole Miss running back Kewan Lacy shined for the Rebels in Week 1 with the performance standing out for Barnes while in attendance.

“One of the biggest highlights for me was their offense. It’s very similar to what we run now at Westview, which would make the transition easier,” Barnes said. “The coaches really took time to get to know every prospect outside of just their name, and that stood out to me too.”

But Barnes also has other visits on the docket, according to Rivals.

The four-star running back will be in Tuscaloosa (Ala.) this weekend for a visit to see the Alabama Crimson Tide with trip to see the Tennessee Volunteers the following weekend.

Barnes is also eyeing a trip to see Mike Norvell and the Florida State Seminoles as well, according to Rivals' Chad Simmons.

Ole Miss remains a program on Barnes' radar following his visit to Oxford, but it remains a battle for the prized running back in the 2027 Recruiting Cycle.