AJ Barner 2024 NFL Draft Profile
The 2024 NFL Draft does not have a strong tight end class in comparison to other position groups. Is AJ Barner a potential late-round option that could help a team? Let’s discuss this in Barner’s 2024 NFL Draft Profile.
Barner spent his collegiate career at Indiana and Michigan. As a three-star recruit, he committed to Indiana where he spent three seasons before transferring to Michigan for his final year. In Ann Arbor, he served as a backup to Colston Loveland and was used as a blocker.
In college, Barner had limited receiving production. At Michigan, he caught 22 passes for 249 yards and a touchdown. That came in a 15-game season. In his final year as a Hoosier, he logged 28 receptions for 188 yards and three touchdowns across ten games.
At the NFL Combine, Barner measured in at six-foot-six, 251 pounds. That is a strong number considering he is supposed to be a run blocker. Barner did not run the 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, but he did record a 4.84 at Michigan’s Pro Day.
As alluded to several times, Barner’s most desirable skill is his run blocking. If he makes it in the NFL, it will be because he finds a home with a team that wants a third tight end who can get involved in the run game. Barner can help create holes when used in-line, make open field blocks, and find defenders while pulling or sent in motion.
The issue with Barner is that he does not add much as a pass catcher. The lack of route running and pure speed is evident. That makes it difficult for him to get open against man coverage. The majority of his receiving production came when he found a soft spot in zone coverage. This resulted in short catches in the middle of the field.
Barner does have solid hands. At Michigan, he made some contested catches. He will make the catch if he is schemed open or finds a soft spot in the zone.
The lack of upside as a receiver makes it hard to value Barner’s blocking skills. This greatly affects his value as a depth piece. If a starter gets hurt, he will not come close to replicating their receiving production. The ideal situation for Barner would be a blocking tight end in a run-heavy system. Still, at best, he would be the third name on the depth chart.
Barner does not receive a draftable grade. A few run-heavy teams could give him a call as an undrafted free agent. An invite to camp would help him prove he can block against NFL competition and hopefully play special teams.
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