AJ Barner, an Aurora grad, taken by Seattle Seahawks in 2024 NFL draft
Aurora High School graduate AJ Barner received an early birthday present — a chance to live his NFL dream.
The Seattle Seahawks drafted Barner in the fourth round (No. 121 overall) on Saturday afternoon. Barner, who will turn 22 on Friday, became the seventh tight end picked this year.
Barner started nine of his 15 games last season with national champion Michigan and compiled 22 catches for 249 yards and a touchdown. He received honorable mention All-Big Ten accolades.
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The 6-foot-6, 251-pound Barner played three seasons for Indiana before transferring to Michigan for his senior year. His four-year totals were 64 catches for 610 yards and five touchdowns.
Dane Brugler, draft analyst for The Athletic, assigned Barner a fifth-round grade.
In Brugler's draft guide, he wrote the following: "Barner is lighter than ideal to be an every-down Y tight end and doesn’t have the resume of a playmaking receiver, but he is a solid athlete with pass-catching upside and the play personality to handle run-blocking duties. He can provide depth on an NFL roster as a flex tight end."
Barner ranked 184th on the big board of Beacon Journal Browns beat writer Chris Easterling.
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This is super cool!
On the eve of the NFL Draft (in which he is projected to be selected in the fourth or fifth round), Aurora's AJ Barner is back home and reading to kids! https://t.co/CzgSOBbcaI— Jonah L. Rosenblum (@JLRSports) April 24, 2024
Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Seahawks draft AJ Barner, Aurora grad who played for Michigan football
