A freshman RB who has had our attention since early in the season is Bradford’s Gahari Barnes. The ’28 is a very talented athlete who was able to play JV and some varsity this past season. So I had high hopes for the freshman during the Showcase. The 5’8″ 155 lbs RB has 9.25″ hands, ran a 4.78 40, 4.45 shuttle, 7.42 L-Drill, and jumped 8’11”. The freshman has a strong base of athleticism, speed, agility, and body control to be a difference maker out in space. He is a natural hands catcher out of the backfield and was difficult for LBs to stick with when we started doing the 1 on 1 receiving battles. Gahari is a gamechanger and should have plenty of moments on the varsity field during the coming years. Keep your eyes on the 2028.

A very exciting running back in the Class of 2028 that I have been impressed by is Kenosha Bradford’s Gahari Barnes Gahari Barnes 5'9" | 165 lbs | RB/DB Bradford | 2028 State WI . The freshman is an explosive runner with the ball in his hands. So much so that the ’28 was able to get some varsity experience this season. Gahari has a fantastic base of traits to built upon. His instincts and vision shine on tape as he quickly finds the quickest path to green grass and does a great job of running through traffic without taking hits. Barnes’ athleticism is advanced for his age too. His burst through the hole, top end speed, and agility are all major strengths of the explosive playmaker. Check out some of his highlights from this season.

The RB out of Kenosha Bradford is looking really good vs his peers at the lower level. He plays with hard to find patience and vision. Gahari is able to find the alleys and hit them with solid speed to beat the pursuit of LBs. Barnes’ contact balance and ability to fight off tackle attempts jumps off the tape too. He is a strong runner with a low center of gravity. It’s very exciting because those strength traits will only get more impressive as he grows from his current 160 lbs. Gahari is a playmaker out of the backfield. No doubt about that. We will be watching him closely.

Projection: Highly ranked in state

Barnes is a 2028 Wisconsin prospect to keep a close eye on, as he gets set to begin his high school career. The three-sport athlete shined as both a Defensive Back and a Running Back this year for the Kenosha Knights travel ball program. Comes with very advanced ball skills, in addition to the ability/willingness to play physical in the secondary. He’s listed as a Defensive Back, but it wouldn’t surprise me to see him become a recruitable RB during his high school year, either.