ATHENS — Landing prospects out of the transfer portal is often a dart throw. Sometimes you hit a bullseye like Zachariah Branch and other times you miss the board entirely.

And after bringing three defensive back transfers for the 2025 season and another four this offseason, Georgia finally seems to have hit the mark with Clemson transfer Khalil Barnes.

“He’s done a good job. He’s very intelligent, been well coached,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said. “Came from a really good program, good coaching background. Played in multiple defenses, played multiple positions. Sharp, savvy. Good football player.”

Of the seven defensive back transfers the Bulldogs have brought in over the last two cycles, Barnes has a considerable edge in terms of experience. He was a three-year starter for the Clemson Tigers, playing at a high level for a team that went to the College Football Playoff in 2024.

In his time at Clemson, he totaled 139 tackles and seven interceptions. Yet none came during the 2025 season, which was largely a disappointment for Barnes and what turned out to be a 7-6 Clemson team that started the season ranked No. 4 in the AP Poll.

Georgia has long been aware of Barnes’s talents, as he played at North Oconee High School, just up the road from Georgia’s campus.

Barnes is now one of four players from the high school who will play for Georgia in 2026, as he’s joined by wide receiver Landon Roldan, outside linebacker Khamari Brooks and wide receiver Dallas Dickerson.

“We missed out on KB [Khalil Barnes] on the front end when he went to Clemson,” Smart said. “But all those guys, they’re really high-character kids. They come from a really solid program.”

Of the nine transfers the Bulldogs added this offseason, the first to join the program was Barnes.

When you combine his experience with the holes the Bulldogs have in their secondary, it isn’t all that surprising that Barnes is making the most of his opportunity at Georgia.

The Bulldogs have six defensive backs transfer out of the program this offseason, including starter Joenel Aguero at the STAR position.

While Rasean Dinkins took over for Aguero when he was injured at the end of the 2025 season, it’s Barnes who has spent most of the spring working in the spot previously manned by Aguero.

“He’s brought high energy. Great player,” cornerback Ellis Robinson said. “You know, he plays STAR, so me and him are on the same side. It’s been really good, just communicating with him and everything.”

Georgia has had success in using the transfer portal to address the STAR position before, as Tykee Smith earned Second Team All-SEC honors at the position in 2023. He started his career at West Virginia before becoming a third-round draft pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Smith did have three seasons to play with and learn the Georgia system. Barnes will have just one year to make the most of his time in Athens.

In addition to Barnes, Georgia added Oklahoma transfer Gentry Williams, USC transfer Braylon Conley and ECU transfer Ja’Marley Riddle.

Williams and Conley are competing for playing time at the cornerback position, while Riddle has been limited this spring as he recovers from an unspecified injury he suffered during his time at ECU.

As for Barnes, he’s positioned himself to make an immediate impact at Georgia. For a program that failed to find help via the transfer portal last offseason, Barnes is a very welcome addition.

“He’s a ballplayer, for sure. A ball hawk. He gets his hands on the ball a lot,” cornerback Demello Jones said of Barnes. “He makes a lot of plays. He brings a lot of experience to this team in a safety room. I like the way he fits in at the STAR position.”