Graham Barton named starting center for Tampa Bay Buccaneers

First round pick Graham Barton named as starter for week one.

Tuesday has been a big day for you if you’re a fan of [autotag]Graham Barton[/autotag], the Duke Blue Devils, or the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Buccaneers and head coach Todd Bowles announced on Tuesday that Barton, the team’s first-round pick from this April’s NFL draft, would be the team’s starting center for the 2024 season.

The team is set to push itself into a new era of football, with former No. 1 overall pick Baker Mayfield as its franchise quarterback for the foreseeable future after he signed a three-year, $100 million contract to remain in Tampa Bay.

The Bucs doubled down on their investment by taking Barton with the 24th overall pick in the draft.

Barton starred all across the Duke offensive line. He found a home in college at left tackle, where he handled some of the conference’s best edge rushers well enough to make the All-ACC First Team in 2022 and 2023.

When the Bucs made the pick and said they wanted him at center, his transition was a massive topic of discussion. Barton hadn’t played the position since his freshman year in Durham, but the team believed in Barton’s work ethic, size, skill, and willingness to play wherever they could make him their center of the future.

Barton has acclimated well this offseason, playing well in practice and preseason games. Announcing him as the starter gives him and Mayfield around three weeks to work out kinks and continue to build that all-important relationship between a quarterback and the communication lifeline along the offensive line.

The Buccaneers will open their 2024 campaign on September 8th against the Washington Commanders, coached by defensive mastermind Dan Quinn in his first game as the Washington head coach.