Graham Barton NFL Draft Overview
Position: Interior Offensive Line
Height: 6’5” (Unofficial)
Weight: 315 pounds (Unofficial)
School: Duke
NFL Draft: Graham Barton Scouting Report
Graham Barton 2024 NFL profile
Every year, a good college tackle will be forced to move inside, for a myriad of reasons. Most times, a team will let the player try playing tackle first before moving him inside. Three years ago, this was the case with Rashawn Slater coming out of Northwestern. Several NFL teams believed that he was better suited to playing guard in the NFL because of his shorter arms. Later, the Chargers allowed him to stay at tackle, where he has thrived. Last year, Peter Skoronski, an excellent college tackle, was moved inside the second he put on an NFL uniform with the Tennesee Titans.
Watching Duke OT Graham Barton this morning and I'm impressed with his skill-set. He plays with patience, can anchor and looks to finish. pic.twitter.com/BQ2GzOgLu7
— Russell Brown (@RussNFLDraft) December 23, 2023
This is the case with Duke tackle Graham Barton. Barton played over two seasons of tackle in 2022 and 2023. In doing so, he was excellent. Regardless of how he played, the NFL likely views him as an interior offensive lineman. Barton was a 3-star recruit in the 2020 recruiting class. In his Freshman season, Barton was asked to play center for five games. He would excel there. Barton became a full-time tackle after Duke hired Mike Elko. While likely a guard, his movement skills will leave many teams fantasizing on draft night.
Strengths
- Excellent mover for the position
- Experience at center and tackle
- Strong hands with great grip strength
- Athletic enough to handle speed rushers
- Tremendous puller and mover in space
- Has a mean streak to him, he absolutely loves to finish blocks and take defenders to the ground
Don’t ya just love Graham Barton’s effort and ability to sustain blocks pic.twitter.com/abWtkJVXSc
— Jordan de Lugo (@jordandelugo) December 20, 2023
Weaknesses
- Arm length leaves some to be desired, but will be mitigated with a move to guard
- Can be overwhelmed at times when playing against stronger opponents
- Does not have much time on task playing the position he will play in the NFL
- Hand usage can improve
- Has several “bear-hugs” on tape, may be a heavily penalized player early
NFL Comparison: Peter Skoronski and Ezra Cleveland
Projection: Mid-to-late first-round pick
Best Fits: Miami Dolphins, Los Angeles Rams, Green Bay Packers
Bottom Line on Graham Barton
Graham Barton may be one of the best guards in the NFL from the second he steps onto an NFL field. Despite being a natural tackle, most teams will view him as a guard in the draft. Accordingly, Barton will be an excellent athlete for a guard, as evidenced by his lacrosse background. Barton can move incredibly well and will fit best in teams that ask their lineman to get out on the move and work to the second level. Teams who run the wide-zone offense will certainly have Barton high on their boards.
While nothing is set in stone, Barton’s chances of staying at tackle long-term are slim. Most teams have their thresholds for offensive tackle arm length and will not come off of it. Unless Barton’s arms magically get longer by the combine, he will be viewed as an interior offensive lineman. His best chance at playing tackle at the next level is similar to Slater’s: Be so good they can’t move you inside. Regardless of where he plays, Barton is a damn good player who will be a difference-maker on the line of scrimmage.
Main Photo: Jaylynn Nash-USA TODAY Sports
