The book on AJ Barner coming out of college was that he was a blocking tight end with special teams value, but not someone who was going to make a lot of noise in the passing game.

"In-line tight end who continues to improve as a run blocker but is unlikely to offer much as a pass catcher," his profile on NFL.com read prior to the 2024 draft.

And to be fair, the numbers supported that evaluation, with Barner catching 64 passes for 610 yards and five touchdowns over four seasons of college ball, three of them spent at Indiana before he transferred to Michigan, where he won a national championship as a senior.

But as Barner has shown throughout his first two seasons with the Seahawks is that he is much more than a blocking tight end. He is also a legitimate threat in the passing game, par

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