Regis Jesuit’s D’Andre Barnes signs with Nebraska
AURORA – D’Andre Barnes knew he was a Power 5 player on tape. He was just waiting for someone to press play.
And at the last moment, the University of Nebraska did.
“I knew somewhere late in the process there would be an opportunity to be where I belonged,” Barnes said. “I knew I had to be patient, and it was difficult at times to do that, but I believed the Power 5 opportunity was coming.”
The Regis Jesuits senior signed a national letter of intent Wednesday to play for the Huskers after Nebraska signed him on last week. Barnes accepted his official visit last Friday, days after Nebraska offensive coordinator/recruiter Marcus Satterfield spotted him making an impromptu visit with Raiders coach Danny Filleman.
“[Satterfield]happened to be in the area visiting other schools (January 30) called me and I told him to come over,” Filleman said. “We started talking in the weight room and I asked him how he was doing on his 2023 commitments. He told me: ‘We’re pretty full, but we might be looking for a guy, maybe like a DB, but it has to be the right one.’ I said you need to see D’Andre.”
Then the two turned on Barnes’ film.
Satterfield only had to watch five plays on Filleman’s laptop before he called Nebraska’s second-in-command coach Evan Cooper and then head coach Matt Rhule as they scouted out the under-the-radar receiver/defensive back/returner and put together a recruiting plan.
Minutes later, Filleman pulled Barnes out of the yoga class to meet Satterfield. Then Barnes’ parents rushed to meet Satterfield later that evening on a tumultuous day that Filleman described as “one of the crazier[recruitment rollercoasters]” I’ve experienced in 26 years of coaching.
Barnes was doing the Sitting Tree pose when his teacher tapped him on the shoulder to get out of class. Filleman and Satterfield were standing there by the door. Barnes’ patient wait was over.
“I will always remember this day and this moment,” Barnes said.
Barnes was only listed in Colorado’s top 25 recruits by 247Sports in December. But his stock shot up late, and he signed on Wednesday, a few days after Nebraska officially bid, as No. 10 overall in the class.
Barnes also had offers from Air Force, Wyoming, Nevada, Bowling Green, as well as another late offer from BYU. But he was largely underrecruited in the Power 5 scene because he didn’t have much film on the defensive side. Barnes didn’t start playing full-time safety until he was a senior; In his early college seasons, he was primarily a receiver and returnee.
“He fell through the cracks for a variety of reasons, but there’s a reason he didn’t sign early,” Filleman said. “Satterfield and I were just texting over the weekend and he said D’Andre is one (the new Nebraska employee) who will be talked about for a long time. Like, ‘Hey, look how we got this guy.'”
Barnes’s immediate appeal in the film – and why the Huskers jumped on him so quickly – is his speed and athleticism.
The 6-foot-1, 175-pounder was the 2021 Class 5A state champion in the 200 meters and runs a 10.69-second 100-meter dash. This speed transfers to the soccer field. As a senior, Barnes had a pick-six and a kickoff return TD in addition to 37 catches for 785 yards and nine TDs, including a catch that went 97 yards.
The 17-year-old is considered a solid defense in the Blackshirts but could also play cornerback and the Huskers haven’t ruled out using him on offense as well.
“It’s hard to train that kind of speed,” Filleman said. “He’s got the length and a lot of the physical tools.”
Barnes was one of four Raiders to sign with Aurora on Wednesday. Quarterback Exander Carroll and receiver Dylan McCollough are both headed to Colorado Mesa, while cornerback Josh Harvey signed with Emporia State. The Raiders also recognized tight end Andrew Metzger (Kansas State) and fullback Hayden Moore (Michigan), two All-Colorado seniors who signed during the early signing phase in December.
“These guys raised the bar for this program,” Filleman said.
