Zaire Barnes
Position: LB
Jersey #: 46
Date of Birth: September 3, 1999
Height / Weight: 6'1" / 232 lbs
College: Western Michigan
Drafted: Round , Pick 184 in 2023 by NYJ
First Team: NYJ (2023)
Last Team: NYG (2026)
Career Summary
Western Michigan linebacker
Zaire Barnes played linebacker at Western Michigan after attending Carmel Catholic High School in Illinois.
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Sources for this section
College Career
Final college seasons
Barnes appeared in 13 games in 2021 and 12 games in 2022. He recorded eight pass breakups in his final season and made his first college interception against Northern Illinois.
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Career Accomplishments
All-MAC recognition
Barnes earned second-team All-Mid-American Conference honors in 2021 and first-team honors in 2022. He also participated in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl.
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Sources for this section
29474, 00-0038399, 1999-09-03, Zaire Barnes, Zaire, Barnes
MFT PLAYER RANKINGS
Current player ranking
#146Linebackers
MFT Score: 60.2
2026 preseason baseline. Position-relative and updated through the site’s weekly review process.