Zaire Barnes

Zaire Barnes (born September 3, 1999) is an American professional football linebacker for the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Western Michigan Broncos.

Zaire Barnes

Barnes with the Western Michigan Broncos in 2021
No. 53 – New York Jets
Position:	Linebacker
Personal information
Born:	(1999-09-03) September 3, 1999 (age 25) Mundelein, Illinois, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight:	227 lb (103 kg)
Career information
High school:	Carmel Catholic (Mundelein)
College:	Western Michigan (2018–2022)
NFL draft:	2023: 6th round, 184th pick
Career history
New York Jets (2023–present)
Roster status:	Active
Career highlights and awards
First-team All-MAC (2022) Second-team All-MAC (2021)
Stats at Pro Football Reference

College career

Barnes was ranked as a three–star recruit by 247Sports.com coming out of high school.^[1] He committed to Western Michigan on June 18, 2017, over offers from Cincinnati, Bowling Green, and Central Michigan.^[2][3]

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables

Height	Weight	Arm length	Hand span	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)	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
Sources:[4][5]

Barnes was selected in the sixth round, 184th overall, of the 2023 NFL draft by the New York Jets.^[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]