Graham Barton Is Only Interior Offensive Lineman Picked In Round 1
April 26th, 2024
What a first round it was last night. Buccaneers Ring of Honor general manager Jason Licht planted a flag.
Tampa Bay was the only team to use a first-round pick on an interior offensive lineman: center Graham Barton, the 6-5, 315-pound manbeast out of Duke University.
Last year, only Tennessee took an interior offensive lineman in Round 1. In 2022, four went off the board in the first round.
Was it a bold move last night by Licht? Not really. Interior lineman taken that early have a much higher success rate than typical first-round picks, especially centers. One could argue it was a safe pick.
Could Licht have traded down for more draft capital and still drafted Barton? That’s a fantastic question that only Licht can answer.
Regardless, the already super-young Bucs offensive line just got bigger and younger. Barton is just 21 years old.
Might the Bucs draft a guard in Round 2? Joe doubts it, but that would go a long way toward making the offensive line a young and hungry force (yungry?) for years to come.
April 26th, 2024 at 1:01 am
Add Mahogany in round 3 or 4 and we are set. LFG.
April 26th, 2024 at 1:06 am
Trade up for Dejean then grab Estime and Kamara…..i know, its not realistic, but you never know.
April 26th, 2024 at 1:21 am
We are at at OL. Opeta, Bremerton and Hainsey will compete for LG. The next three picks we can focus on defensive depth and possibly a WR/TE/RB. I think this pick was a no brainer. Center is a high success rate positing, you know what you’re getting, and Barton was by far the best in the draft. Great pick for Licht
April 26th, 2024 at 1:45 am
I don’t think even Jason Licht would entertain that hypothetical, Joe. I was surprised to see him there as everyone seemed to have him ranked higher than JPJ. Solid high probability hit rate pick 👍🏼👍🏼
April 26th, 2024 at 1:49 am
Saw him in the video when they called his name, he is huge! already! Just wait till he gets on the team. Happy with this quality pick.
April 26th, 2024 at 1:56 am
Can Licht get 33 & 34? Would take Dejean & Newton and then hit the back 9 at the TBCC.
April 26th, 2024 at 2:05 am
That laugh on Jason’s face in that pic….very similar to the one i made when the dirty birds picked penix at 8….except my hands were covering my mouth while whaling and laughing….i was at a bar an around people trying to contain myself LOL. And then I let out a big old WOOOOOOOO!!!
April 26th, 2024 at 2:16 am
Is he playing Center or Lineman?
April 26th, 2024 at 2:45 am
Jason giving me the warms
April 26th, 2024 at 3:53 am
I thought Barton was a tackle who will play guard and can play center? Why would we draft another guard?
April 26th, 2024 at 4:41 am
westernbuc … You’re right; Barton played some Center freshman year, but the rest of the time was a Left Tackle apparently. Most expected though that he’d be moved inside, most likely to Center, because of ‘short arms’.
Sounds like JL believes he’s got the potential to be another Ryan Jensen. Hope he’s right because Jensen was the anchor & set the tone for our OLine. Seems to me that Barton also gives us a quality backup at Left Tackle, and that’s a very good thing.
April 26th, 2024 at 6:26 am
Good pick! Agree with Defense Rules and others about the center position.
@MadMax. I think everyone was shocked when the Falcons picked Penix. Especially Kirk Cousins. I guess Kirk will be mentoring Penix for the job.
April 26th, 2024 at 6:33 am
Penix has a long injury history…
April 26th, 2024 at 6:39 am
A) Not written by who you think.
B) Not the mindset.
C) Why so hateful? — Joe
April 26th, 2024 at 7:09 am
So, wondering what the criteria for this when Joe says that the Bucs were the only team to pick an interior lineman in the 1st round.
Green Bay says that Jordan Morgan is more likely to end up at Guard than Tackle and that is pretty much what all the pre draft stuff said.
Last year with the number 11 pick, Tennessee took Peter Skoronski out of Northwestern as a tackle and he played all his snaps for the Titans as a guard. 17 games worth. Number 11 pick.
Could the Titans have waited to the 2nd round to get Skoronski?
He was rated pretty much in the top 10 last year in pre draft boards.
April 26th, 2024 at 7:19 am
I’m just going to wait and see what he does remember he was the same guy that was blocking for Riley Leonard when he got hurt and they were comparing him to Josh Allen.
April 26th, 2024 at 7:53 am
All the top edge rushers are gone.
I’d like to see some combination of ILB, DL, IOL, RB with the next 4 picks choosing best value at each pick.
Then can grab 2 of CB/S and WR to finish out the draft
April 26th, 2024 at 7:54 am
Making it sound like a bad thing….
There were no RBs, LBs, S, and only one TE……..
If there was only one then that means we probably drafted the best.
April 26th, 2024 at 8:04 am
Well DR, Barton sounds like he’s right up Licht’s alley: big, lots of potential, and can play more than one position. I’m on here just to see who the Bucs picked. I don’t watch college ball. Go Licht and Bucs!!
April 26th, 2024 at 8:06 am
Peter Skoronski was picked 11th last year and played every game at guard for Tennessee.
Green Bay picked a guy this year they are projecting as a guard.
April 26th, 2024 at 8:36 am
Edge (Braswell or Isaac) in 2nd.
WR and ILB in the 3rd.
Estime or Davis in the 4th.
April 26th, 2024 at 8:52 am
I think we broke Dallas’s heart by selecting Barton. They surely would have taken him after they traded back with Detroit.
April 26th, 2024 at 10:04 am
The Steelers picked Troy Fautanu at 20. He was listed as a guard on ESPN when he was selected.
Fautanu’s future is uncertain. He can play tackle at NFL level. –Joe He is also listed at OL like Barton. I think he was in a similar position as Barton where he started out in the interior and finished his college career outside.
April 26th, 2024 at 10:10 am
Barton is arguably the best run blocker in the draft. Lord knows we needed it. A+
April 26th, 2024 at 10:35 am
I agree Joe. I looked into it a bit more after I posted and it seems like the Steelers are going to play him at tackle. I do like Barton’s proven versatility though.
Just watched a matchup video with him and Jared Verse, who was selected ahead of him, and he seemed to hold his own. Definitely got overpowered a few times but ran over Verse in the run game which is amazing to see. I know the guys on the inside will be a bit beefier though.
April 26th, 2024 at 12:07 pm
Being only 21, some might wonder about his maturity. Since he’s from Duke and interned for Tillis, I don’t think maturity is something to worry about, at all.
Excellent pick by JL and I’m very pleased with Barton’s potential.
Go Bucs ! ! !
April 26th, 2024 at 1:55 pm
Just means JL is the smartest man in the room.
April 26th, 2024 at 3:06 pm
^with a little help here and there….he knows us