This is a really good comparison. Both AJ Barner and Marlin Klein had similar stats their final year at Michigan. AJ Barner (2023) — Michigan Scouting Stats Code: SEASON TEAM CONF CLASS POS G REC YDS AVG TD Y/G ATT YDS AVG TD PLY YDS AVG TD 2023* Michigan B10 SR TE 15 22 249 11.3 1 16.6 0 0 0.0 0 22 249 11.3 1 Marlin Klein (2025) — Michigan Scouting Stats Code: SEASON TEAM CONF CLASS POS G REC YDS AVG TD Y/G ATT YDS AVG TD PLY YDS AVG TD 2025* Michigan B10 SR TE 11 24 248 10.3 1 22.5 0 0 0.0 0 24 248 10.3 1 AJ Barner (2025) — Seattle Seahawks NFL Stats Code: SEASON TEAM AGE POS G GS TGT REC YDS AVG TD LNG Y/G CT% Y/TGT 2025 SEA 23 TE 17 17 68 52 519 10.0 6 26 30.5 76.5 7.6 Some AJ Barner pass catching highlights. keep in mind he is also a good blocker.
Great interview. I was really questioning this pick, but after seeing this and watching some film & combine drills, I'm excited to see what he can do. The dude is massive and fast, Gronk & Kittle size. Taking him this early, I'm sure they have plans to get him involved in the offense. Schultz will be a good mentor for him.
I dont know how good this guy is, but Michigan has s good track record of putting good TE's in the NFL. They all can block. This dude appears to be a great athlete for his size. I'll take my chances. True it might be a bit of an overpay, but if the dude plays well in the NFL then he is worth the pick IMHO/
I trust Caserio to find potential. I don't trust any team to keep that potential on the field rather than on IR. The only logical response is getting deeper in anticipation of injuries. At this point, I've been most impressed with depth acquired through Free Agency. I do hope the OL starters get more time in the pre-season. I do not want another 3 games at the start of the season wasted because they're waiting to get their act together.
Kiper not a big fan of him.... " "The pick I really liked came shortly after Round 2 began. The big, bad Texans defense got scarier. For all of Rutledge's experience, Kayden McDonald was the opposite. He didn't start until 2025, but you wouldn't know it from the tape. It was a big breakout campaign, with 67 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 17 run stops and three sacks. He's a powerful 326-pounder, but he can move. Sheldon Rankins is occupying the middle, but there's room for McDonald to see meaningful snaps in the Texans' 4-3 defense. The rest of the picks were a little confusing, at least in terms of value. I was shocked to hear Marlin Klein's name in Round 2. I didn't have him in the top 150, and he was the ninth-best tight end on my board (I split out halfbacks into a different position list, so he's even lower if you combine them). Klein caught 38 career passes, and he needs to work on his blocking. He's a good developmental prospect, but I didn't understand going this early on him when Oscar Delp, Justin Joly, Eli Raridon and Max Klare were all there (and other needs existed)."
The 6-foot-6, 250-pound Klein has a good spring of practices according to Michigan tight end Max Bredeson, calling Klein a “freak athlete.” Colston Loveland said the same and spoke of all the intangibles that could make Klein a dangerous weapon for the Wolverines. “Marlin is the fastest tight end, probably the strongest tight end, biggest tight end, so he’s got it all there,” Loveland said. https://www.maizenbrew.com/2024/4/9...art-spring-game-colston-loveland-max-bredeson
Kiper is always shocked when teams don't evaluate players the exact same as him. His draft grades are less an indication of how well a team did and more about how much everyone else agrees with him.
