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AJ Barner has the ideal size for his position, boasting a strong muscular build, and his power is clearly his strong suit. He is a fairly fluid athlete who doesn't lack speed for his size, but his explosiveness is really quite average, if not lacking. His agility is impacted by his size and mass, but he remains relatively solid in this aspect. 

AJ Barner primarily played in-line in the Michigan system, with only a few snaps in the slot as Colston Loveland primarily filled the role of the aerial target. 
AJ Barner's run blocking is exceptionally solid, making him the best in his class in this area. He manages to generate power in both his upper and lower body. Despite his rather lengthy frame, which could be a disadvantage, he dominates in leverage battles. He has long arms and a very good hand technique, which he consistently uses well to maintain or redirect his blocks. When moving and engaging at the second level (to attack linebackers), Barner takes good blocking angles and has a very good understanding of space. Moreover, in this aspect of the game, he exhibits very good body control. 

I won't overstate his receiving ability; with only 22 catches in 2023, there's not much to highlight. Despite having very small hands for his position, Barner has an interesting catch radius. His eye/foot/hand coordination is solid, and his ball tracking seems good, although he hasn't had to make over-the-shoulder catches on long routes. His hands appear reliable, but there's a real lack of production and usage in the passing game to form a clear idea of his capabilities as a route runner or impact player in the receiving game.
Barner lacks the explosiveness needed to consistently play against man coverage, but his use can be very interesting against zone coverage because he knows when and where to settle his routes to provide a viable option for his quarterback, allowing him to be in free release. He resembles a possession tight end; he won't be able to be a threat with the ball in hand due to an average transition from receiver to runner.

AJ Barner is a prospect not to be underestimated, as few tight ends nowadays can deliver significant performance in run blocking like he does. His contribution can be maximized in a run-heavy attack, similar to what he was part of at Michigan. Therefore, I believe he has what it takes to be a very solid No. 2 tight end with a significant impact on the ground game. With clever use in the receiving game, depending on the opposing defensive alignments, he could potentially make important plays.
I evaluate AJ Barner as an early Day 3 prospect.