He wasn’t in Ann Arbor for a long time, but he was there for a good time.
After being a starter and team captain at Indiana, tight end AJ Barner went for a change of scenery for his final year in college football — and it paid off handsomely.
Barner started for Michigan football, alongside Colston Loveland, and wasn’t just one of the premier blocking tight ends in the country, but also showed his prowess as a pass catcher. He made some big plays, including several huge catches and a touchdown against Michigan State, as well as a huge catch and run against Ohio State.
On Saturday, Barner was the first Wolverine off the board on Day 3 of the 2024 NFL draft, getting selected at No. 121 overall in the fourth round by the Seattle Seahawks.
While Barner wasn’t in Ann Arbor at the same time as almost any of the Michigan contingent in Seattle, he will rejoin head coach Mike Macdonald, the former defensive coordinator who left Michigan after the 2021 season; linebackers coach Chris Partridge; and players such as Olu Oluwatimi and Mike Morris.
Barner is the eighth Wolverine off the board in the 2024 NFL draft. Michigan needs seven to tie the record for most players from one team taken in a single draft and eight to break it.