ESPN senior writer Jeff Legwold released his ranking of the top 100 prospects in the upcoming NFL draft on Saturday, and he thinks Duke offensive lineman Graham Barton is a top-25 prospect.
Legwold had Barton as the 24th overall prospect in the draft. The former Blue Devil was the highest-ranked center on the list, eight spots above Oregon’s Jackson Powers-Johnson. Legwold ranked Barton as his seventh-best offensive lineman overall.
“Barton is a safe bet with quality technique in a high-effort, physical approach,” Legwold wrote. “He simply wins snap after snap in pass protection and the run game.”
Barton’s versatility has been a big focal point through the draft process as he played both left tackle and center in Durham.
Former teammate DeWayne Carter, the All-ACC defensive tackle, just missed out on the 100th and final spot. He was the fifth name listed in Legwold’s ‘Close, but not quite’ category.