Illinois received a verbal commitment from three-star 2019 LB Tarique Barnes.
Barnes also was considering Missouri, Mississippi State and Arkansas; so while he may have ‘only’ the three-star designation, there was interest in him that suggests that teams like his upside. At 6-foot, 216-pounds, Barnes will need to put on weight to handle Big Ten tackles, but reports suggest he has a quick first step and can get to the quarterback. Illinois’s class ranks 57th overall in 247 Sports, and 12th in the Big Ten.
