C.J. Barnett, a former Ohio State football captain and a member of the Columbus Division of Police, is returning to the program as its Director of Player Development.
“I am really pleased to be coming back to work for a program that has given so much to me,” Barnett said. “I look forward to using my experiences to become a trusted advocate and resource for our players in all areas of their lives. I look forward to getting to work for Coach Day and this staff, and on behalf of the players, and to help grow the already strong culture that exists in this program.”
Barnett is replacing Ryan Stamper who left the program for a job with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
“C.J. is the perfect fit for what we were looking for in terms of our player development position,” head coach Ryan Day said. “We’ll miss Ryan Stamper, as he helped our program become the standard when it comes to helping players prepare for life and success off the field. C.J. is going to come in and build onto that standard and enhance it, too. His experiences as a player and as a member of the Columbus Police Department make him exactly the kind of person our players can learn and grow from. We’re thrilled that he’s back with our program.”
During his playing days in Columbus, Barnett was a team captain in 2013 and totaled 224 career tackles and eight interceptions.
In 2013, Barnett graduated with his degree in sociology and criminology.
After a stint in the NFL with the New York Giants, Barnett graduated from the Columbus Police Academy in 2018 and was on patrol duty for the last two years.
