Duke’s Graham Barton is coming off a fantastic college career during his time with the Blue Devils. He stands at 6’5”, 313 pounds, and he was the No. 1-graded center at the NFL Combine.
Barton has great size for the center position, and he is currently projected as a prospect who will hear his name at the end of the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Let’s dive into Barton’s journey with the former Duke offensive lineman set to enter the NFL.
Where Did Graham Barton’s Football Career Start?
Barton played high school football at Ravenwood High School in Brentwood, Tenn.
He played three years of varsity football at Ravenwood, and his team went 34-8 during those three seasons.
Barton played both offense and defense, especially when it came to the playoffs. During his senior year, the Raptors made it all the way to the state title game.
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As only a three-star recruit, Barton didn’t have the elite teams in the Power 5 conferences going after him.
Ultimately, Barton chose Duke over other schools, such as Kansas, Michigan State, Missouri, Mississippi State, and Washington State, among others.
Revisiting Barton’s College Career
Barton wasn’t expected to get a ton of playing time as a freshman, but he quickly entered the lineup. Duke had injuries to the first- and second-string centers, and Barton had to fill in.
He played the final five games of the season and became the focal point of the Duke offensive line for the rest of his career.
Watch out for @DukeFOOTBALL OT Graham Barton establishing himself as one of the best in the business this fall 💪
There's a reason why he was named College Football Network First Team All-American for the 2023 #CollegeFootball season 🔥pic.twitter.com/kKnQgE9cFG
— College Football Network (@CFN365) August 3, 2023
Barton played in 40 games during his time at Duke, starting in 39 of them. He was a two-time All-American and was named first-team All-ACC in both 2022 and 2023.
During his time at Duke, he was needed at tackle and played his final three seasons at left tackle.
Barton’s Potential in the NFL
Pro Football Network draft analyst Ian Cummings is high on Barton’s potential and points to his versatility as a key factor for being such an intriguing prospect.
“Barton’s five-position versatility is one of the top differentiators on his profile,” Cummings said. “He has experience at both tackle and center, and his combination of athleticism, power, flexibility, footwork feel, anchor strength, football IQ, and physicality allows him to seamlessly transition between roles.”
KEEP READING: Ian Cummings’ Full Scouting Report of Graham Barton
While Barton is one of the most versatile offensive linemen in the NFL Draft, what will his full-time position be in the NFL?
Cummings mentions that Barton’s “average at best” length is an indicator that teams might believe he’s more of a guard than a tackle in the NFL, which is similar to a top-15 pick from last year.
“Much like Tennessee Titans first-round pick Peter Skoronski from the 2023 NFL Draft cycle, I’m of the mind that, while Barton could survive at tackle, he projects better at guard or center,” Cummings said.
Barton’s Highlights, Records, and More
After being thrown into the lineup as a freshman due to injuries, Barton played well enough to earn second-team Freshman All-American honors from The Athletic.
In his final two seasons at Duke, Barton was named first-team All-ACC twice, as well as an All-American in both of those years.
He missed a few games this past season due to injury, but Barton still was named honorable mention All-ACC in the end-of-season CFN awards.
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