aj barner
commitments come in seemingly endless waves
2022 indiana
commitmas 2022
[Patrick Barron]

Portal In: AJ Barner V Comment Count

Seth December 20th, 2022 at 4:35 PM

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.

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

Comments

aiglick

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.

Joined: 11/27/2010

MGoPoints: 21521

Denard In Space

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?

Joined: 05/24/2018

MGoPoints: 13469

MMBbones

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)

Joined: 08/28/2008

MGoPoints: 9882

smotheringD

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!

Joined: 09/15/2010

MGoPoints: 7606

Seth

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!"

Joined: 10/14/2008

MGoPoints: 149219

Blue Vet

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.

Joined: 05/08/2012

MGoPoints: 71224

RAH

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. 

Joined: 02/23/2018

MGoPoints: 7600

melandtoto

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!

Joined: 08/26/2019

MGoPoints: 448

OldSchoolWolverine

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. 

 

 

 

 

Joined: 11/03/2013

MGoPoints: 27253

Ezekiels Creatures

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.

Joined: 03/14/2019

MGoPoints: 28664

YoOoBoMoLloRoHo

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.

Joined: 11/01/2012

MGoPoints: 18054

JMo

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.

Joined: 12/14/2011

MGoPoints: 21025