Standout defensive lineman who looks to build on the impactful progress he made last season at defensive end ... Posted 1.5 tackles for loss and 2 total stops in Maroon and White Spring Game (4/11/15).
2014: Started all 12 games at right end as a junior, collecting 47 total stops ... His 6 tackles for loss tied for second best on the club, while his 5.0 sacks was tops on the team ... Named Defensive Lineman of the Year by coaching staff ... Earned MSU Defensive Player of the Week honors for road wins at Northwestern State (8/28/14) and Central Arkansas (9/20/14) ... Recovered a fumble and returned for a TD as time expired in win at Northwestern State ... Logged season-high 7 total stops in home loss to Southern Illinois (11/8/14) ... Posted 2 sacks apiece at Central Arkansas and at South Dakota State (10/11/14) ... Finished with four games of 5 or more tackles, including three straight from Sept. 20 to Oct. 11 ... Had a sack and 4 total tackles in 2014 Maroon and White Spring Game (4/26/14).
2013: Contributed in all 12 games, including a start, as a redshirt sophomore with 14 total tackles ... Notched a season-high 4 tackles in season opener against Northwestern State (8/29/13) ... Posted only sack of the season in win at Southern Illinois (11/9/13) ... Earned his first career start in home win over No. 16 South Dakota State (10/19/13), in which he posted a pair of solo tackles ... Also tallied two stops in home win over No. 24 Illinois State (9/28/13) ... Posted one of his two tackles for loss at No. 1 North Dakota State (10/12/13) ... Named to Athletic Director's Honor Roll for fall 2013 and spring 2014 semesters ... Posted 3 total tackles in spring Maroon and White Game (4/20/13).
2012: Played in all 11 games as a backup defensive end ... Posted 4 tackles, including 3 solo tackles, and 2 TFLs and a sack in home win over South Dakota (10/13/12) ... Logged 4 total stops at South Dakota State (9/29/12) ... Posted 3 assisted tackles in home win over Western Illinois (10/27/12) ... His 4.5 tackles for loss ranked fifth on the club ... Notched 2 tackles in Maroon and White Game (4/21/12).
2011: Redshirted in 2011 ... Named Defensive Scout Player of Week (9/17/11) vs. Oregon.
High School: Was a Class 3 first-team all-state defensive lineman as a senior in 2010 for coach Leon Hite at Trinity Catholic High in St. Louis ... Helped the Titans to a 6-4 mark his senior year after a 7-3 junior year ... Earned AAA all-conference honors on both sides of the ball and St. Louis Post-Dispatch All-Metro second team honors ... Recorded 40 tackles, 7 sacks, 20 solos and 4 forced fumbles in 2010 ... Was a Class 3 All-State second teamer in 2009, also claiming all-conference honors for a district championship squad with 60 tackles, 11 sacks and 20 solos.
Personal: James Ellis Barnes, Jr., was born 12/31/91 in St. Louis, Mo. ... Son of James Barnes, Sr., and Karen Barnes ... Has four siblings -- Jordan, Jackson, JaVaughn, and D'landol ... Father was a running back at Oklahoma ... Majoring in Facility Management.
