Former Indiana Tight End AJ Barner Commits to Michigan

After three seasons at Indiana, tight end AJ Barner is joining quarterback Jack Tuttle by transferring to Michigan to play for coach Jim Harbaugh.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – AJ Barner is staying in the Big Ten East.

Barner announced on Tuesday via Twitter that he is transferring to Michigan, where he'll team up with former Indiana quarterback Jack Tuttle, who made the same announcement on Tuesday.

Let’s get to work‼️ #goblue pic.twitter.com/383sYrEsyW

— AJ 🧟‍♂️ (@_ajbarner_) December 20, 2022

Barner played three seasons at Indiana and has two years of remaining eligibility. A native of Aurora, Ohio, appeared in 28 games through three seasons for the Hoosiers. He made an immediate impact on special teams as a freshman while learning behind veteran tight ends Peyton Hendershot and Matt Bjorson.

After catching 14 passes for 162 yards and one touchdown as a sophomore in 2021, Barner was in line for a breakout season in 2022. He was selected as a team captain before the season, and Indiana coach Tom Allen said Barner had a chance to be the best tight end in Indiana football history.

Barner dealt with a foot injury throughout the season, which caused him to miss games against Michigan and Maryland. He finished his junior season with 28 catches for 199 yards and three touchdowns.

Barner never reached his full potential at Indiana, but the physical tools were clearly there. At 6-foot-6, Barner was a dangerous red zone target, seen through his jump-ball touchdown at Ohio State. 

AJ Barner SNAG 🏈

Indiana gets on the board vs. Ohio State.pic.twitter.com/zF2zyp8Wew

— 247Sports (@247Sports) November 12, 2022

He could run after the catch, too. Barner developed into a strong run blocker, and his absence leaves plenty of production to replace in the tight end room. Bloomington natives Aaron Steinfeldt and James Bomba, as well as true freshman Brody Foley are next in line for expanded roles at Indiana. 

As for Barner, Michigan tight end Luke Schoonmaker can return for another season to build upon a solid 2022 campaign with 36 catches for 386 yards and three touchdowns. Former Michigan tight end Erick All is transferring to Iowa, and Michigan's strong running game features plenty of two-tight end sets, which makes room for Barner to step in alongside Schoonmaker.

Related stories on Indiana football

• TUTTLE TRANSFERRING TO MICHIGAN: Jack Tuttle, the former Indiana quarterback, announced on Tuesday that he was transferring to Michigan for his final season of college football. CLICK HERE