Tag: Duke football

Where is Graham Barton on the USA TODAY Sports Big Board?

USA TODAY Sports’ Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz released his ranking of the top 50 players in the NFL draft. How high did he have Duke lineman Graham Barton?

USA TODAY Sports writer Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz released his ranking of the top 50 players in the NFL draft on Thursday morning. How highly does he regard Duke offensive lineman Graham Barton compared to the rest of the class?

Middlehurst-Schwartz ranked Barton as the 22nd-best overall player available. The former Blue Devil, who played both tackle and center during his time at Duke, was his sixth-highest offensive lineman in the rankings.

Washington’s Troy Fautanu was the only interior lineman above Barton in the rankings, but like Barton, he could play multiple positions at the next level. Should he remain a tackle in the NFL, there’s a chance that Barton is the best player at his position in the draft (at least according to this list).

“(Barton’s) savvy should come in handy on the interior,” Middlehurst-Schwartz wrote. “The 6-5, 311-pounder figures to be an aggressive yet composed blocker who can set the tone.”

Jackson Powers-Johnson, the Oregon center who won the Rimington Trophy as the best center in the country last year, figures to be Barton’s top competition for the first interior lineman off the board. Middlehurst-Schwartz had Powers-Johnson as his 34th overall prospect.

The NFL draft is two weeks away, with the first round scheduled for Thursday, April 25.

Graham Barton goes late in the first round in latest CBS mock draft

CBS Sports writer Pete Prisco released a new NFL mock draft on Wednesday, and he had Duke lineman Graham Barton go late in the first round.

CBS Sports writer Pete Prisco released an updated NFL mock draft on Wednesday morning, and he had Duke offensive lineman Graham Barton end up with one of his most frequent landing spots.

Prisco projected that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers would take Barton with the 26th overall pick.

Barton, who played offensive tackle with the Blue Devils, is expected to shift inside as a guard or center at the next level. The Buccaneers have lost several interior linemen to free agency or retirement over the last half-decade, including now-Bengals guard Alex Cappa and retired center Ryan Jensen.

In a stacked offensive line class, Barton was the third interior offensive lineman and the ninth offensive lineman taken overall in Prisco’s projections.

Prisco’s draft contained some excitement, too, with four quarterbacks in the first five picks.

Where did Mel Kiper Jr. have Graham Barton in his latest ESPN mock draft?

Longtime ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. had the Blue Devils offensive lineman penciled in for an AFC playoff team in his new mock, but one everyone expects.

Longtime ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. released an updated two-round mock draft on Wednesday morning, and Duke offensive lineman Graham Barton maintains a firm grip on a first-round spot.

Kiper slotted Barton in as the 20th overall pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers, last year’s No. 7 seed in the AFC playoffs. The NFL draft expert said the AFC North team could go a lot of different directions, but he thinks the offensive line is a reasonable thought.

“The Steelers parted ways with starting pivot Mason Cole in February, and taking Barton, my top-ranked center, might even be an upgrade,” Kiper wrote about the pick.

Barton would be tasked with protecting new Pittsburgh quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Justin Fields should Kiper’s projection come true.

What round will DeWayne Carter get drafted, per the Mock Draft Database consensus?

Duke defensive lineman DeWayne Carter will hear his name called in the NFL draft, but how early are experts expecting him to go?

All of the NFL draft hype in Durham has centered around presumed first-round pick Graham Barton, but another former Blue Devil will soon try to exert his will in the professional trenches.

All-ACC defensive lineman DeWayne Carter will be drafted in this year’s NFL draft, but where is he expected to go?

According to Mock Draft Database, a site that aggregates projections from experts and analysts all over the country, Carter is considered a fourth-rounder as of early April. The former Blue Devil is ranked as the site’s 111th overall player in the draft.

A quick scroll through Carter’s projected landing spots shows an even mixture of third- and fourth-round picks, however. He seems to be right along the edge of day two and day three, as of now.

No particular teams stand out as a favorite to draft the defensive lineman, but the Los Angeles Rams have popped up on a few recent mock drafts.

NFC playoff team trades up for Graham Barton in latest NFL.com mock draft

NFL.com’s Chad Reuter released a new NFL mock draft earlier this week, and he thinks a certain NFC playoff team could move up for Duke’s Graham Barton.

NFL.com’s Chad Reuter released a five-round mock draft earlier this week, and he thinks a certain NFC playoff team could make an aggressive first-round push for former Blue Devil Graham Barton.

Reuter had the Philadelphia Eagles move up to the 16th pick to take the Duke offensive lineman.

Barton played tackle in Durham, but he’s expected to move to center or guard at the NFL level. The Eagles lost future Hall of Fame center Jason Kelce to retirement earlier this offseason. Reuter doesn’t just see him as a Kelce replacement, however.

“(Barton’s) athleticism, toughness and football IQ could allow him to step in at multiple spots,” Reuter wrote. “His play at left tackle over the past three years shows he can move outside if injuries hit that part of the depth chart.”

The 16th pick is among the earliest experts have projected for Barton, who typically goes somewhere in the 20s. Mock Draft Database’s consensus landing spot for him thus far is the 21st pick to the Miami Dolphins.

Duke lineman Graham Barton records one of the highest athletic scores ever for a guard prospect

Duke offensive lineman Graham Barton was given a 9.99 relative athletic score, the third-highest by a guard prospect since 1987.

It’s not hyperbole to say Graham Barton is one of the most athletic interior offensive line prospects in decades. In fact, it’s almost an understatement.

According to Barton’s numbers from the NFL combine and his pro day, the former Duke offensive lineman was given a relative athletic score of 9.99 out of 10, the third-highest of any guard prospect since 1987.

At just 313 pounds, the former Blue Devil isn’t particularly large by the position’s stands, but his speed and agility tested off the charts for his position. He ran a 4.97-second 40-yard dash, and he completed the 3-cone drill in 7.31 seconds.

Barton played left tackle in his final three seasons at Duke, but with his slightly smaller frame and a deep offensive tackle class, he’s expected to shift inside.

The RAS site compared Barton to former Alabama lineman Evan Mathis, a popular comparison through the draft process, and former Texas lineman Samuel Cosmi.

ACC Football Teams Ranked by Returning Production for 2024

A look at each ACC team’s returning production for the upcoming 2024 season.

Forecasting which teams will rise to greatness in college football in any given season can prove challenging. However, a key indicator often lies in the roster’s returning players.

From seasoned fifth-year senior linebackers to up-and-coming junior quarterbacks, the presence of experienced athletes opting to continue with their respective programs can significantly bolster a team’s competitive advantage. This continuity becomes particularly crucial as other teams contend with talent depletion due to NFL draft selections, transfers, or eligibility regulations.

ESPN recently released a list of all 134 FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) teams, with each ACC team naturally being listed. Here is a look at each ACC team’s returning production on offense, defense, and total.

Updated 4/7

Graham Barton’s consensus first-round landing spot, per Mock Draft Database

First-round offensive lineman Graham Barton has a couple teams who frequently grab him in mock drafts, but one squad shows up more than the rest.

Duke offensive lineman Graham Barton has been a consensus first-round pick through the mock draft process, but where exactly will he end up?

According to Mock Draft Database, Barton is the most common choice for the Miami Dolphins with the 21st overall pick.

The site aggregates mock drafts from all over the internet, and the AFC wild-card team takes Barton with a 14% frequency in recent mocks, more than any other player.

A USA TODAY Sports mock draft released on Wednesday had Barton going to Miami with the 21st pick.

Barton is the 26th-ranked player on the site’s consensus big board, second only to Oregon’s Jackson Powers-Johnson among interior offensive linemen.

Tampa Bay, Seattle, Dallas, and San Fransisco have also shown up as frequent suitors for the former Blue Devil.

Graham Barton goes to playoff team in new USA TODAY Sports NFL mock draft

Barton, the Duke offensive tackle, went 21st overall in USA TODAY Sports’ newest mock draft, but which NFL team did he end up with?

USA TODAY Sports released a new mock draft on Wednesday in light of the Buffalo’s blockbuster trade to send Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans.

While the new wide receiver market doesn’t affect the draft status of Duke offensive lineman Graham Barton much, the former Blue Devil remained a first-round pick in the new projections.

Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, who wrote the story, slotted Barton as the 21st overall pick to the Miami Dolphins.

Barton, who played tackle at Duke, will presumably play guard or center in the NFL due to his slightly smaller frame, but the USA TODAY Sports writer doesn’t think size will be an issue.

“Don’t be surprised if Barton is taken ahead of some of his towering peers,” Middlehurst-Schwartz wrote. “Several teams – including Miami, which could face trouble on the interior without proper reinforcements – surely will be captivated by his polished play.”

The Dolphins are one of Barton’s most popular landing spots in most mock drafts.

Why Duke OL Graham Barton is the perfect 1st-round pick for the Bucs

Landing Duke offensive lineman Graham Barton in the first round would be a grand-slam pick for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

When you’re picking 26th in the first round of the NFL draft, it’s hard to land the perfect prospect for your team.

But the Tampa Bay Buccaneers might have a chance to do just that if Duke offensive lineman Graham Barton is still on the board.

A versatile, athletic blocker who plays with a physical mentality, Barton should be the Bucs’ top target on the first night of the draft for multiple reasons.

For starters, Barton is one of the most versatile players in the entire draft class, with the ability to play all five positions along the offensive line. He’s spent most of his time at left tackle for the Blue Devils, and though he could stay there and still be effective at the next level, Barton could be even more dominant if he slides inside.

That versatility is a huge reason why the Bucs should target Barton, partly because of the flexibility it would give them with their other selections in this year’s draft. Tampa Bay needs an upgrade at both center and left guard, and since Barton can play either spot, the Bucs would be able to target either a center or guard on Day 2 or beyond and take the better prospect at either position, knowing Barton can lineup wherever that other player can’t.

Barton has prototypical size for an NFL offensive lineman at any position, and he brings rare athleticism for a trench warrior. Using Kent Lee Platte’s “Relative Athletic Score” for comparison, Barton has the third-best athletic profile of any offensive guard prospect since 1987:

You read that right; that’s just shy of a perfect athletic score based on size and testing numbers, placing him third among nearly 1,600 eligible prospects.

On the field, Barton plays with an elite blend of nastiness and intelligence. Just listen to his college coaches and teammates talk about what he brings to the table:

Spending a first-round pick on an offensive lineman isn’t the flashiest move, but if the Bucs get the chance to land Barton, they should be elated to add such a complete and polished player who will make an immediate impact, regardless of where he lines up.

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