Barnes attended Homewood-Flossmoor High School in Flossmoor, Illinois, where he earned three letters for the Vikings playing quarterback. He served as team captain and was named team MVP, as well as All-Area and All-Conference in 2004. Barnes also lettered in basketball, where he was a teammate of Julian Wright. Considered only a two-star recruit by Rivals.com, Barnes was not ranked among the nation's elite quarterback prospects in 2005. He chose Bowling Green over Eastern Michigan and Indiana.
College career
Barnes' freshman season he caught 20 passes for 203 yards, two touchdowns, and rushed for 405 yards and 9 touchdowns. As a sophomore, he caught 82 passes for 962 yards and 9 touchdowns, and was selected for All-Mid-American Conference third team honors. He caught 41 passes for 364 yards, but no touchdowns as a Junior in 2008. During his senior year in 2009 he accumulated 16 touchdown catches and a league leading 138 receptions. He is third in reception yards with 1,551, and among his season's highlights was a school-record 22-catch effort for 278 yards, including three touchdowns, in a 36-35 victory over Kent State. Barnes was four receptions away from matching the NCAA single-season record as Bowling Green awaited its bowl game against the Idaho Vandals. In his final game at Bowling Green against the Idaho Vandals in the Humanitarian Bowl, Barnes had 17 receptions for 219 yards and 3 touchdowns including a go-ahead score with 32 seconds left in the game. It turned out to be enough time for the Vandals to answer on their final drive, and they converted a two-point conversionfor the win. Barnes established both new Football Bowl Subdivision and All Division single-season reception records by surpassing Manny Hazard and Nick Smart, respectively. On the season, Barnes' 1770 yards surpassed Randy Moss MAC single-season total. Barnes also surpassed several school records such as single-season touchdown receptions and career receptions. Barnes' yardage total and yards per game were second to Danario Alexander among FBS receivers for 2009. Barnes was chosen as one of three finalists for the Fred Biletnikoff Award. Notre Dame'sGolden Tate won the award. Barnes was also discussed as a dark horse candidate for the 2009 Heisman Trophy, despite being on a BCS non-AQ conference team and not being a quarterback, based on thirty more catches than any other receiver and being close to the top in touchdowns. Barnes was named to the All-Mid-American Conference first team on December 2, 2009, and on December 12, he was named a 2009 All-American by the Football Writers Association of America.
Wes Bunting of National Football Post opined that Barnes may lack the speed to be an elite NFL receiver, but stated that "he certainly has the talent to fill out an NFL receiving corps." At the 2010 East-West Shrine Game practice, Barnes "impressed scouts with the ability to consistently separate from defensive backs and find the openings in the coverage," according to Sports Illustrated's Tony Pauline.
Chicago Bears
Barnes signed as an undrafted free agent with the Chicago Bears on April 24, 2010. He was waived on September 3, and was re-signed to the team's practice squad on November 2.
Barnes was also a member of the Arena Football Team Chicago Rush, having signed a contract on October 8, 2010. He was on a league exemption during his stint with the Chicago Bears after being signed to the practice squad on November 2, 2010. He then returned to the Rush on December 15, 2010 after being released by the Bears.
Barnes was signed to the practice roster of the Saskatchewan Roughriders on August 9, 2011. He appeared in one regular season game in 2011, but was released on January 31, 2012.
