Michigan TE AJ Barner selected by Seattle Seahawks in fourth round of 2024 NFL Draft
Michigan Wolverines football tight end AJ Barner has been selected by the Seattle Seahawks No. 121 overall in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Barner played one season in Ann Arbor after transferring in from Indiana. He forwent his final season of eligibility to head to the NFL.
Barner is the eighth Michigan player to be drafted this year, joining quarterback J.J. McCarthy (first round, No. 10 overall to the Minnesota Vikings), defensive tackle Kris Jenkins (No. 49 to the Cincinnati Bengals), defensive back Mike Sainristil (No. 50 to the Washington Commanders), linebacker Junior Colson (No. 69 to the Los Angeles Chargers), running back Blake Corum (No. 83 to the Los Angeles Rams), wide receiver Roman Wilson (No. 84 overall to the Pittsburgh Steelers) and offensive lineman Zak Zinter (No. 85 overall to the Cleveland Browns).
This marks the second straight year that Michigan has had a tight end drafted, with Luke Schoonmaker being selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the second round in 2023 (No. 58 overall). Barner is the fourth Michigan tight end to be picked under head coach Jim Harbaugh, joining Schoonmaker, Zach Gentry (fifth round in 2019) and Jake Butt (fifth round in 2017).
“This is a physical blocking tight end,” NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah said on the draft broadcast. “He’s someone that can put his hand in the ground and move you. This is gonna be a friend to the running backs and the quarterbacks in Seattle.”
“He’s an in-line tight end that did not have a lot of pass catching opportunities at Michigan,” ESPN analyst Matt Miller said on the broadcast. “They did not throw the ball a ton. When they did, it was to Roman Wilson split out wide. But Barner has a lot of upside at this position. He’s going to pair great with Noah Fant, who is more of a in the seam/slot tight end
“Barner here could be an ascending football player. The toughness is there, and we know they are going to want to run the ball. He’s going to help them do that kicking out defensive ends and outside linebackers in the run game.”
Barner went through drills at the NFL Combine but didn’t run the 40-yard dash or test. He measured in at 6-foot-6 and 251 pounds.
Barner started nine of 15 games and played the eighth-most offensive snaps (620) for the 15-0, national championship-winning Wolverines. He earned an All-Big Ten honorable mention nod, hauling in 22 receptions for 249 yards and 2 touchdown. He had five multi-catch outings.
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The Aurora, Ohio, native edged out fellow starting tight end Colston Loveland, a sophomore, in offensive snaps. Loveland took 568 this past season. Barner led the country’s tight ends with an 82.2 overall PFF grade and 81.4 run-blocking rating (minimum 250 snaps), with that strength in his game being a big reason why he was able to log so much time.
Barner believes his time in Ann Arbor prepared him for the professional ranks.
“I wanted to go somewhere and compete for a national championship, I wanted to go somewhere to win and I wanted to go somewhere to be challenged every single day,” Barner said at the combine. “Michigan checked all the boxes. My personality — I’m a blue-collar, disciplined kid. I fit right in with the winged helmet. The style of offense that we played and the program that Michigan runs I feel is as similar as it’s gonna get [to the NFL].”
The Michigan tight end was a team captain at Indiana in 2022. That season, he appeared in 10 games with eight starts, totaling 28 receptions for 199 yards and 3 touchdowns.
He caught 14 passes for 162 yards and a score as a sophomore in 2021. He played in eight outings — mostly on special teams — but did not record any offensive statistics as a freshman in 2020.
Barner was a three-star recruit in the 2020 class, ranking as the No. 1,172 overall prospect, No. 53 tight end and No. 48 player in Ohio.
