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Hear what Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht had to say about drafting Graham Barton in the first round
The newest member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is Duke offensive lineman Graham Barton, who was chosen with the No. 26 overall pick in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft on Thursday night.
Shortly after the selection was made, Bucs general manager Jason Licht met with the media to discuss the pick.
Watch the video above to see everything Licht had to say about his latest draft choice.
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Instant 2024 NFL Draft grades: Tampa Bay Buccaneers select OL Graham Barton from Duke
The Buccaneers’ number one need heading into the draft was interior offensive line talent, and they landed one of the best and most versatile at the position in Duke offensive lineman Graham Barton.
Barton projects as an immediate starter at either left guard or center and can realistically kick around to any position on the offensive line if needed. He will help secure what was a shaky offensive line and make the Buccaneers an even more dangerous offensive unit.
A starter at left tackle, Barton is fundamentally sound, has excellent feet, top-tier play strength, and plenty of versatility, having bounced around the line. Expect Barton to be one of the better rookie players in his rookie year.
Grade: A+
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Hear what Tampa Bay Buccaneers first-round draft pick Graham Barton had to say to the media after being selected
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers added a versatile offensive lineman in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft on Thursday night, selecting Duke’s Graham Barton with the No. 26 overall pick.
Shortly after he was selected, Barton met with local media on video chat to talk about what he’s bringing to Tampa Bay as the newest member of the team.
Watch the video above to see everything Barton said in his first press conference.
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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were sweating it out before finally landing their top target in the first round
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers got their guy Thursday night, landing Duke offensive lineman Graham Barton with the No. 26 overall pick in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft.
A versatile blocker who can play all five positions, Barton was the Bucs’ primary target, according to general manager Jason Licht.
“We had him [as a] center, but he can play guard,” Licht said after the pick was made. “He did a pretty damn good job playing tackle, too. So, there’s a lot of versatility there with him. We had him targeted. To be honest with you, the whole time we were crossing our fingers that he would make it to us and he did, so that’s good. He’s got a tenacious playing style that we like. He’s a very good athlete, he’s a very good technician.”
Tampa Bay’s patience paid off, as they might have been tempted to move up a few spots to make sure they got Barton, but he ended up falling right into their lap at their original slot.
Barton should be an immediate upgrade over incumbent center Robert Hainsey, helping to improve the Bucs’ lackluster ground game, and providing improved protection for Baker Mayfield.
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“We were crossing our fingers that he would make it to us,” Tampa Bay’s general manager said after the Buccaneers drafted Graham Barton.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht seemed quite pleased with Duke offensive lineman Graham Barton on Thursday night.
Licht and Tampa Bay made the former Blue Devil the 26th pick in the 2024 NFL draft, and the team had its eyes on him the entire night.
“To be honest with you, the whole time, we were crossing our fingers that he would make it to us,” Licht said after the pick. “And he did.”
Licht also confirmed that Tampa Bay saw Barton as a center. He would replace franchise legend Ryan Jensen, who started Super Bowl LV three seasons ago and retired in February.
The leader of the Buccaneers front office didn’t rule out other spots, however, praising the versatility Barton was known for within draft circles.
“Center, but he can play guard,” Licht said. “He did a pretty damn good job playing tackle, too.”
Video: Bucs GM Jason Licht said their fingers were crossed that they could land Duke’s Graham Barton, who they like as a center. pic.twitter.com/lml1sVX9h3
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) April 26, 2024
Barton became the eighth Blue Devil picked in the first round of the NFL draft and the third since 1987.
Tampa Bay drafted Graham Barton to play center, and his testing numbers give him the highest athletic score in the history of the position.
Should Graham Barton end up playing center for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he’d be an unprecedented athlete at the position.
The 6-foot-5, 313-pound offensive lineman played tackle for the last three years, and he earned First Team All-ACC nominations in both 2022 and 2023.
Barton played center for the Blue Devils as a freshman, however. Tampa Bay listed the former Duke star as a center in their social media announcement of his selection, and general manager Jason Licht confirmed that was the position they had in mind for Barton after the pick.
According to the measurements from Barton’s NFL combine and pro day, he has the highest relative athletic score among all 619 center prospects since 1987. Kent Lee Platte, who created the R.A.S. calculation, shared the information on Thursday night.
His height, 40-yard dash time (4.95 seconds), and 3-cone shuttle (7.31 seconds) all tested in the top percentiles in the history of the position.
Graham Barton was drafted with pick 26 of round 1 in the 2024 draft class. He scored a 10.00 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 1 out of 619 OC from 1987 to 2024. https://t.co/UI7cJwpTTu pic.twitter.com/yl4Fw9uXwq
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) April 26, 2024
Barton would replace Super Bowl LV starter Ryan Jensen, who officially announced his retirement in February after battling injury issues.
Graham Barton joined Laken Tomlinson as one of eight Duke players taken in the first round of the NFL draft, and Tomlinson recorded a short video congratulating him.
Graham Barton became the eighth former Duke player drafted in the first round of the NFL draft on Thursday when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers took him off the board with the 26th pick.
Laken Tomlinson, another member of the elite club, took notice of the accomplishment. The Duke football team shared a short clip of the NFL veteran addressing his former Blue Devil after the selection.
“I’m so proud of you, man,” Tomlinson said. “I know about all the work you’ve been putting on in the trenches.”
“Keep grinding and making us proud. I can’t wait to see what you do next year on the field.”
Tomlinson, who also plays on the offensive line, was picked 28th overall by the Detroit Lions in 2015. At the time, he was the first first-rounder from the Duke program in almost 30 years.
He signed with the Seattle Seahawks this offseason after stints with the San Fransisco 49ers and the New York Jets.
Just a couple of first round offensive linemen from Duke 😈@grahambarton53 x @laken77 pic.twitter.com/KH4ZOLJcJd
— Duke Football (@DukeFOOTBALL) April 26, 2024
Tomlinson, Barton, and New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones are the only three Duke players taken on opening night since 1987.
Duke fans, check out the moment that former Blue Devil Graham Barton heard his name called in the 2024 NFL draft.
Duke offensive lineman Graham Barton became the eighth Duke football player taken in the first round of the NFL draft on Thursday night.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers took Barton with the 26th pick, hoping he can help replace the three starting interior linemen they’ve lost to retirement and free agency over the past two years.
Barton, who played both tackle and guard for the Blue Devils, was a First Team All-ACC honoree in each of the last two seasons.
Barton didn’t attend the draft ceremony in Detroit, but he got the call from Tampa Bay while surrounded by family and close friends at home. The Blue Devils released a video of the moment Barton heard NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell say his name.
The moment 👏 @grahambarton53 x @Buccaneers pic.twitter.com/Fh0NzYiL6e
— Duke Football (@DukeFOOTBALL) April 26, 2024
Barton will join an offense with Baker Mayfield, Mike Evans, and Chris Godwin as Tampa Bay tries to win a fourth straight NFC South title.
2024 NFL draft grades: Buccaneers pick OL Graham Barton at No. 26 overall
With the New Orleans Saints first pick out of the way, they now look ahead to what their other NFC South rivals will do. We got our first glimpse of what Jason Licht has in mind for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers draft class tonight with their first-round selection.
With the 26th overall pick, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Graham Barton, an offensive lineman from Duke University. Barton is an intriguing prospect, playing at left tackle the last three seasons, however, he did play center his freshman year. Some platforms project him to play center at the next level, while others believe he could stick at tackle possibly. The problem with that for Tampa is that Barton has not played right tackle, and Tristan Wirfs currently plays on the left side.
Ultimately this leads me to believe that Barton is going to start off as a competitor for the center position with Robert Hainsey, who had nine penalties last season and gave up 33 pressures with four sacks. Ultimately the flexibility of Barton is a positive, and his skillset made him one of the better players remaining on the board.
Grade: B+
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See what Duke offensive lineman Graham Barton brings to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers came into the 2024 NFL draft needing upgrades at multiple spots along the interior of their offensive line, and they landed the perfect prospect with their first-round selection.
At No. 26 overall, the Bucs grabbed Duke’s Graham Barton, who has the ability to play all five positions along the offensive line. He spent most of his time at left tackle for the Blue Devils, but likely projects as Tampa Bay’s new starting center, supplanting Robert Hainsey.
Barton is a smart, athletic blocker with ideal size and movement skills, and he plays with the nastiness and physicality that will allow him to set the tone for the entire offensive line. His ability to pick up stunts and twists show his high football IQ, and his ability to climb to the second level and wall off defenders will be a welcome addition to a run game that has struggled mightily in recent years.
It wouldn’t have been shocking if Barton had been off the board by the time the Bucs picked, or if they had made a move up the board to secure him. Instead, they were able to stay put and land the exact player they needed to bolster their ground game, and provide improved protection for Baker Mayfield.
This pick is a huge win for Tampa Bay that should have an immediate impact as they chase a fourth straight NFC South title.
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