Former Wisconsin quarterback Nate Tice, now an NFL writer and analyst, broke down the upcoming offensive linemen for Yahoo Sports on Wednesday, and it’s safe to say he’s a fan. He finished with 15 of them in his top 50 overall prospects.
With more than a dozen linemen he’s enamored with, Tice decided to hand out superlatives to the young prospects.
Graham Barton, the four-year Duke starter, ended up in the category of “high-end Swiss Army Hogs” alongside Washington’s Troy Fautanu.
Barton played left tackle for the Blue Devils, but his height and frame (6-foot-5, 315 pounds) seem to push him toward the inside at the next level. Tice, however, thinks the former All-ACC tackle could play wherever a team needs him.
“They both play with such advanced hands, athletic bend and tight footwork that it allows them to overcome any deficiencies,” Tice wrote. ” I could basically say every team in the draft would be a good fit for Fautanu or Barton.”
The praise falls in line with most of the conversation around Barton during the pre-draft process as his versatility has been a massive boost on his resume.
Tice had Barton as the 12th-ranked player in the draft on his most recent big board.