Indiana Football Position Preview: Tight End Room Led By Bloomington's Bomba, Steinfeldt

Bloomington natives James Bomba and Aaron Steinfeldt are expected to lead the tight end room after the departure of AJ Barner. On Monday, we talked to tight ends coach Kevin Wright, Bomba and Steinfeldt following fall camp for our tight end position preview.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana tight ends coach Kevin Wright frequently uses the phrase "develop the room" during offseason press conferences, and that is more evident than ever heading into the 2023 season.

AJ Barner was the undisputed top option at tight end last year, but he transferred to Michigan this offseason. Barner missed two games with a foot injury last season, which offered a look into what the position group will look like without him in 2023.

Fellow Bloomington natives and redshirt sophomores Aaron Steinfeldt and James Bomba are expected to lead the group this year, but Indiana also added Stanford tight end Bradley Archer and a few young tight ends in hopes of building depth in the room.

On Monday, Wright, Steinfeldt and Bomba met with media to discuss fall camp and their expectations for the upcoming seasons. Here's our position preview for the Indiana's tight end room.

Personnel

• #45 Trey Walker: redshirt senior, 6-foot-5, 255 pounds, seven games at IU
• #49 Zac Scott: redshirt senior, 6-foot-4, 235 pounds, Blinn College transfer
• #82 Bradley Archer: redshirt senior, 6-foot-3, 245 pounds, 21 games at Stanford
• #48 James Bomba: redshirt sophomore, 6-foot-6, 250 pounds, nine games at IU
• #84 Aaron Steinfeldt: redshirt sophomore, 6-foot-5, 250 pounds, 13 games at IU
• #86 Brody Foley: redshirt freshman, 6-foot-6, 245 pounds
• #87 Ryan Miller: redshirt freshman, 6-foot-6, 235 pounds
• #39 Bryce Hendershot: freshman, 6-foot-3, 230 pounds
• #85 Anthony Miller Jr.: freshman 6-foot-5, 265 pounds
• #88 Sam West: freshman, 6-foot-4, 240 pounds

Top expected contributors: Aaron Steinfeldt, James Bomba, Bradley Archer, Trey Walker

Indiana Hoosiers tight end Aaron Steinfeldt (84) flexes for the crowd during warm ups before the game against the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers at Memorial Stadium / Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports

Returning tight ends

Tight end is one of Indiana's most inexperienced position groups, with Aaron Steinfeldt and James Bomba returning the most prior playing time entering their redshirt sophomore seasons. 

The local products played for rival schools – Steinfeldt attended Bloomington North High School, and Bomba went to Bloomington South – but they're working together now to lead the group. Bomba was limited to nine games and three starts last year due to injury, and he was primarily used as a blocking tight end.

Steinfeldt stepped up when AJ Barner, who transferred to Michigan this offseason, went down with an injury last year, and he was productive in a pass-catching role, starting two games and appearing in all 12. Wright and Tom Allen have talked about Steinfeldt's impressive ball skills since he arrived on campus, and he showed flashes of that last year, hauling in six receptions for 52 yards and a touchdown. Steinfeldt took up yoga this offseason, and he feels that has helped him improve in a variety of ways, especially as a blocker.

"We challenged him a little bit to be in the best shape of his life," Wright said. "And it's really amazing to see at the end of the summer how he transformed his body. He's leader, he runs better, he's moving better, he's always had really good ball skills. He weighed in at 251, so whenever anyone can make that type of transition, it's going to make them a better football player. I just like the way he's gone about his business and tried to take another step."

Transfers, young talent add depth

Indiana added Stanford transfer Bradley Archer this season, with the goal of bringing in a more experienced veteran to help the otherwise young position group. Archer played in 28 games across four seasons at Stanford, and Wright said his addition has helped push the younger players from a physicality standpoint. 

From a rankings perspective, Indiana has recruited the tight end position well in recent years. Redshirt freshman Brody Foley was Indiana's third highest-ranked recruit in the class of 2024, behind only Dasan McCullough, who has since transferred to Oklahoma, and Carter Smith, who's in the mix for a starting spot on the offensive line. Out of Cincinnati, Ohio, Foley was a four-star recruit and ranked No. 12 in the nation among tight ends, according to 247 Sports. 

True freshman Sam West was Indiana's fourth highest-ranked recruit in the class of 2023, behind cornerback Jordan Shaw, safety Amare Ferrell and defensive end Ta'Derius Collins. Out of Greensburg, Ind., West was tabbed as a three-star recruit and the No. 17 player in Indiana. While Foley and West might not top the depth chart this year, Wright is excited about their future in the program.

Indiana also brings in freshman Anthony Miller, who was recruited as an athlete but has since switched to tight end. Miller is one of the more physically impressive players on the roster, boasting a 6-foot-5, 265-pound frame with a roughly 84-inch wingspan. It might not be this year, but Wright believes Miller has a high ceiling.

"He is a very large human," Wright said. "He's a twitchy, young freshman kid, and everything is going pretty fast for him because he got here in the summer ... The fact that he does have size and strength and he's a smart kid, I think that bodes well for him down the future."

The bottom line

Tight end is one of the more inexperienced positions groups on the roster, so it's fair to expect a by-committee approach for much of the season. Steinfeldt figures to fill the primary pass-catching role, while Bomba and Bradley appear to be utilized more in the run game. 

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