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After the NFL draft ended in April, it became abundantly clear how the rest of the football world viewed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selecting Graham Barton in the first round.
The consensus seemed to be that Barton, the No. 26 overall pick out of Duke, was the type of player that doesn’t come around very often.
Yahoo! Sports NFL reporter Charles McDonald has Barton listed as one of the NFL’s best of the best rookies following his preseason debut against the Cincinnati Bengals on Aug. 10 and after Barton has grabbed the starting center spot in his first NFL training camp.
“Week 1 preseason overreaction: Barton was the steal of the first round,” McDonald wrote. “Barton was sensational in his first NFL action, making a near-seamless transition to center after spending his final year in college at left tackle. Barton looks like he’ll be a stalwart in the middle of the Buccaneers’ offensive line, which may have two elite building blocks with Barton and All-Pro tackle Tristan Wirfs. Barton made life miserable for rookie defensive lineman Kris Jenkins Jr. and should be a huge boost to Tampa’s offense.”
Barton’s rookie contract could make him a steal to begin with if he’s a Pro Bowl-caliber player early in his career — rare with offensive linemen — with a 4-year, $14 million deal.
Universal Praise for Bucs Drafting Barton
Barton is already slotted to be a Day 1 starter at center, with NFL.com’s Chad Reuter placing Barton on his preseason NFL Offensive All-Rookie Team.
“The Buccaneers landed the best center in the draft, a much-needed addition for a team that wants to win a fourth straight NFC South title and make a deeper playoff run this time around,” Reuter wrote. “Barton can play any spot on the offensive line despite his average length. Also, he possesses the intelligence to handle calling protections and making adjustments in the middle of the line. There are many accolades in his future, including a spot on the 2024 All-Rookie Team.”
Barton, 6-foot-5 and 313 pounds, was a two-time All-ACC pick at Duke and earned All-American honors in 2023, starting 39 consecutive games at center and offensive tackle.
“(Barton) is such an impressive player,” The Athletic’s Nate Tice said on The Bill Simmons Podcast on May 2. “And everyone is saying he’s going to move to center but I don’t know if that’s necessarily what’s going to happen because he’s so talented and he could definitely play center, but he could play multiple positions.”
Barton, Wirfs Could Dominate NFL Defenses
The combination of Barton and Wirfs at left offensive tackle could be something NFL defenses come to fear over the next decade.
The Buccaneers made Wirfs the highest-paid offensive lineman in NFL history with a 5-year, $140.6 million contract extension on Aug. 1 after Wirfs spent the last 4 seasons establishing himself as one of the NFL’s best offensive linemen — a two-time NFL All-Pro, 3-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champion.
One thing Wirfs hasn’t had on the offensive line since Pro Bowler Ali Marpet retired following the 2021 season is another elite player next to him. Barton could very well be that guy.
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