Portal In: AJ Barner V
The portal additions will keep coming until either a) morale improves, or b) Michigan has more transfers in this class than their entire post-Bump Elliott history combined. This time we raided a division rival for tight end.
Let’s get to work‼️ #goblue pic.twitter.com/383sYrEsyW
— AJ 🧟♂️ (@_ajbarner_) December 20, 2022
Barner should be able to make an immediate impact on a depth chart that was expecting to have Erick All back next year. A nobody recruit (ranked some places as a DE), Barner immediately earned playing time, though just one target, behind Peyton Hendershot during their 2020 run. He started the last two years, serving as a team captain as a true junior while almost never coming off the field. Thanks to the COVID year, he'll have two years left to play at Michigan. He's also from Ohio, a state Michigan recently annexed.
STATS
These come with major Connor Bazelak/Donaven McCulley caveats.
Season | Targets | %Tm | Catches | Ctch Rate | Yards | Yds/Tar | TDs |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2022 | 50 | 11% | 28 | 56% | 199 | 4.0 | 3 |
2021 | 22 | 6% | 14 | 64% | 162 | 7.4 | 1 |
2020 | 1 | 1% | 0 | - | 0 | 0.0 | 0 |
Play-by-play data from collegefootballdata show three penalties, two of those false starts at Rutgers. Without looking, I'm going to attribute those to Rutgers blowing their stupid train horn. PFF's grading isn't very meaningful lately, especially the blocking component, but they weren't particularly enamored; Barner got a 53.4 overall this year, 54.3 in the passing game, and 59.7 as a run blocker. They were kinder on his 2021: 60.9 overall, 61.9 passing, 55.3 run blocking.
[After THE JUMP: Indiana's best tight end]
FILM
Under Walt Bell, Indiana set to using Barner from the slot. Alex called him "an important safety valve" for Bazelak.
Also in Walt Bell: slot tight ends blocking screens.
Slot tight ends fake-blocking screens then running routes.
and slot tight ends crossing the formation to kick out on split zone:
That part's actually pretty relevant. He missed the Michigan game this year so we didn't get to look at him directly. I got a couple of clips of him last year in UFR, but neither play told us anything about him.
Highlights include the time nobody from Idaho bothered to tackle him and mossing an Ohio State CB Cameron Brown.
But it was snowing that day so I don't think that one should count.
GURU RATINGS
247 is ranking transfers and has Barner a 4* (.9100), the #38 player in the portal and #3 TE (All is the 2nd). The 2020 rankings don't mean much anymore but here they are:
RATINGS BY SITE |
|||
---|---|---|---|
247: 6'5/225 |
On3: 6'6/230 |
Rivals: 6'4/217 |
ESPN: 6'4/225 |
3*, 87, NR Ovr #30 TE, #25 OH |
Did not exist yet. | 3*, 5.5 not ranked |
3*, 73, #173 MW #168 DE, #57 OH |
3.67 | n/a | 3.50 | 3.28 |
COMPOSITE RANKINGS |
|||
247 Composite |
On3 Consensus |
MGoBlog |
|
3*, 0.849, #1147 Ovr #51 TE, #44 OH |
3*, 83.23, #1169 Ovr #53 TE, #48 OH |
3*, #667/769 Ovr #47/51 TEs since 1990 |
|
3.49 | 3.32 | 3.50 |
ETC
Indiana!
I don't know yet if he's coming in as a graduate. If not they got three years of credits (Barner wasn't an early enrollee) to transfer.
PREDICTION BASED ON FLIMSY EVIDENCE
He's not going to be all-conference, but Barner should bolster the depth chart and provide a major insurance plan if they can't get Luke Schoonmaker back for a 6th year. Even if that comes off, Michigan lost All and Louis Hansen to the portal, and graduates Joel Honigford and Carter Selzer, so they need the dudes. Colston Loveland is going to start at the inline position, and the next guys up for the move position were Fr/So walk-on Max Bredeson and So/Sr Matt Hibner. Bredeson played a lot this season and will again as Michigan likes to rotate the position and often plays two or three more at a time. Hibner seemed likely to make his way on to the field and is probably the guy displaced most. Absent Schoonmaker, Barner's role would expand considerably. Either way he's got multiple paths to the field since Loveland will rotate off of it often enough, and nobody else so far has shown much in the receiving department.
UPSHOT FOR THE REST OF THE CLASS
I wrote a big thing about the portal today so I'll just refer you to that.
THE TRANSFER CLASS AS IT STANDS
Pos | Player | Last Sch | Elig '23 | In a nutshell |
---|---|---|---|---|
QB | Jack Tuttle | Indiana | Sr/6th | Backup QB |
TE | AJ Barner | Indiana | Jr/Sr | Catchy 6'6"/250 off-TE |
C | Drake Nugent | Stanford | Sr/5th | The good part of Stanford's OL. |
OT | LaDarius Henderson | Arizona St | Jr/5th | ASU G who could play LT |
OT | Myles Hinton | Stanford | Jr/Sr | 5* brother of Chris, injured '22 |
WDE | Josaiah Stewart | C.Carolina | Jr/Jr | Danna-sized Tasmanian Devil |
WLB | Ernest Hausmann | Nebraska | So/So | Quickster started as a True Fr |
December 20th, 2022 at 4:39 PM ^
“Division rival” is the most respect indiana has ever gotten haha!
December 20th, 2022 at 4:39 PM ^
PORTAL?
PORTAL!
ALL HAIL PORTAL!
December 20th, 2022 at 7:56 PM ^
Rico's time is now!
December 20th, 2022 at 4:41 PM ^
All your portal are belong to us
December 20th, 2022 at 4:58 PM ^
+1 for saying it correctly because it seems most of the board has never played Zero Wing and think it's plural.
December 20th, 2022 at 7:37 PM ^
For great justice.
December 21st, 2022 at 1:22 AM ^
Somebody set up us the bomb.
December 20th, 2022 at 4:43 PM ^
Seems like we need this guy with all the departures/potential departures at the position and he has the potential to contribute. Plus if this staff likes a tight end he must have potential. Welcome aboard.
December 20th, 2022 at 4:43 PM ^
Harbaugh already said Schoonmaker is going to the NFL.
December 20th, 2022 at 4:46 PM ^
I thought that got walked back?
December 20th, 2022 at 5:07 PM ^
He tweeted about going to the East West Shrine game on Nov 29th. You could be right, but I have been under the assumption he’s going pro.
December 20th, 2022 at 7:45 PM ^
Yea I thought Luke was definitely gone unless I missed an update to that.
December 20th, 2022 at 5:03 PM ^
I'm just putting this thought out there and am curious what others think: it seems like the philosophical shift in recruiting has been to focus on players that really want to be here rather than their recruiting rankings, and that might end up being an advantage in the NIL/Portal era. Rather than convincing kids with dollars, which can be earned anywhere, we still have dollars but also the standout culture, the winning, the development, etc. For as many head-scratching recruiting decisions we see from high schoolers, it seems pretty clear to me that Michigan is very appealing to transfers. Could this era's winning formula be to select a few special blue chippers a la JJ or Will Johnson + developmental high schoolers who really want to be here + experienced transfers who also really want to be here?
December 20th, 2022 at 5:09 PM ^
I think it's just Michigan's NIL philosophy of zero to little NIL for freshman and healthy NIL for upperclassmen.
December 20th, 2022 at 5:13 PM ^
I think that, this year at least, those who have the most flexibility/adaptability in handling the portal are going to prosper. Sort of like JH did with out of state camps and trips around the world until the NCAA clamped down upon him, so it is this year with the portal. He has found a way to gain disproportionately.
Expect changes to come soon so that advantages to Michigan get promptly erased so all such advantages can be restored to the SEC, the one conference that deserves catering. We all know that what is best for the SEC is best for humanity.
(applying /s to the above is left as an exercise to the reader)
December 20th, 2022 at 10:03 PM ^
...it seems like the philosophical shift in recruiting has been to focus on players that really want to be here rather than their recruiting rankings, and that might end up being an advantage in the NIL/Portal era.
I believe focusing on recruiting players that want to be here has many benefits:
- It becomes easier, almost automatic, to train, practice and train with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind
- Players are willing to sacrifice for the good of the program. Consider Mike Sainristil moving to nickel. What a stellar game he had in The Game, two PBU's in the endzone, one on the goal line, the pep talk he gave to start the 4th quarter, dude was an absolute stud.
- It's the primary raw material needed for the culture, brotherhood, the love, the commitment these guys have for one another.
- And this ^^^^ has a direct bearing to the play on the field, the confidence, the effort, the heart.
Who wouldn't want to play for Michigan? Who's got it better than them? NOBODY!
December 20th, 2022 at 5:09 PM ^
Seth: Just an FYI to mention that Josaiah Stewart's link goes to Aymeric Koumba's recruit post
December 20th, 2022 at 5:31 PM ^
thanks. Fixed it.
December 20th, 2022 at 5:15 PM ^
He's also from Ohio, a state Michigan recently annexed.
I really just want Toledo back. #1835
December 20th, 2022 at 5:18 PM ^
More like port Hail!
December 20th, 2022 at 5:21 PM ^
Maybe it needs to be renamed the Importal!
December 20th, 2022 at 5:26 PM ^
"But it was snowing that day so I don't think that one should count."
Ha! It has been proven: some jokes never get old.
December 20th, 2022 at 5:33 PM ^
So if anyone hasn't figured it out, I had this written last night and planned for it to drop before the big long article about the portal, which had to be rewritten front to back to not say "AJ Barner is coming you guys!"
December 20th, 2022 at 5:44 PM ^
"He's also from Ohio, a state Michigan recently annexed."
Yaaaaaah.
"But it was snowing that day so I don't think that one should count."
Uh huh, that too.
And as always, the red boot without a heel in the middle of the US, aka, American map.
December 20th, 2022 at 10:45 PM ^
saw that. seth was being very funny and very salty.
December 20th, 2022 at 5:55 PM ^
Apparently, Michigan's 2023 class hasn't reflected the great improvement of their status in the college football world because the initial establishing of relationships began before the improvement was fully recognized.
If the great success Michigan is now having in the transfer portal is an indication of how highly MIchigan is now being regarded the 2024 recruiting class could be a big deal.
December 20th, 2022 at 6:05 PM ^
Let’s see: A Backup QB to replace bowman, check; TE to replace All, in a position that really didnt have a solid, tested backup, check; 3 OL, to replace the 3 OL who are likely leaving, check; a LB to replace Barrett (i am now assuming he wont take his covid year and come back for #6; if he does this is even a stronger position), check; a DE to add to a roster that has one glaring weakness on D, an edge rusher, check!
December 20th, 2022 at 6:46 PM ^
I’m getting particular here but edge was probably more unproven than a weakness, now it’s quite good. CB could become a relative weakness if we don’t have anyone on the other side of will, but imagine someone out of turner or green will return (or we will hit post spring portal).
December 20th, 2022 at 6:31 PM ^
It is not clear Seth if you think OSU is soft. LOL. Love your snarks.
December 20th, 2022 at 6:38 PM ^
“It was snowing that day so that shouldn’t really count”
perfection!!!!!!!! 😂😂😂😂
December 20th, 2022 at 8:24 PM ^
Now it is "just 5 big plays" and "Michigan steals signs",
December 20th, 2022 at 7:08 PM ^
A lot of players from red teams.
December 20th, 2022 at 7:10 PM ^
Home run after home run!
December 20th, 2022 at 7:25 PM ^
A TE who catches touchdowns against Ohio State?? DO WANT
December 20th, 2022 at 7:39 PM ^
It's stressing me out, every time I go to mgoblog we get another transfer! /s
Kidding aside, all these transfers of starter caliber, is the final makings of us joining the small handful of elites. All these incomers are filling holes that would normally leave us behind.
December 20th, 2022 at 8:07 PM ^
He was called captain by his teammates.
He was at BIG10 media day as a junior.
He is going to be an instant contributor.
December 20th, 2022 at 8:07 PM ^
He's a 4 star and Cade was a 3 star? Weird. Very happy to have him aboard don't get me wrong.
December 20th, 2022 at 8:32 PM ^
Bet he’s coming here to learn how to block inline to make himself more appealing to the NFL. Pretty good player imo.
December 20th, 2022 at 9:10 PM ^
What do you mean by until morale improves?
December 20th, 2022 at 10:46 PM ^
you know that's an old joke, right?
December 20th, 2022 at 9:30 PM ^
Always make room for a TE who abuses Cameron Burke in the Shoe.
Looks like UM staff will spend a lot of time this spring teaching Michigan level blocking. Otherwise, he brings an excellent skill set to A2.
Welcome, AJ.
December 20th, 2022 at 11:08 PM ^
He's gone from a small Ohio high school with MAC offers to Indiana to Michigan, Pretty impressive climb.
December 21st, 2022 at 9:41 AM ^
The joy that is intertwined into the writing of this post is almost inexplicable to think about as a Michigan fan even 18 months ago. What an amazing ride. Here's to two more wins.
December 21st, 2022 at 11:10 PM ^
I like it. Man I really hated this portal until it proved to be so awesome for us.
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