TAMPA, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected a 21-year-old center from Duke University as their 26th overall pick on Thursday in the first round of the NFL Draft.
Graham Barton, the 6-foot-5, 313-pound player, played center and tackle at his university and reminds the team of some existing players with the Bucs.
"He reminds me, and a lot of us, a little bit of Ali," General Manager Jason Licht said at a press conference. "He's got some Ryan Jensen in him, which is a very good thing, too. And [he's got the] personality of Tristan Wirfs. That's some pretty good lab work there."
The Bucs picked him in an effort to try to toughen up their interior offensive line. Jensen retired in 2024 after a career-ending knee injury and Ali Marpet retired in 2022.
Currently, Robert Hainsey is the team’s center and Barton said he expects to begin working at center and/or guard when he begins his pro-football career.
Licht praised Barton and said he’s very athletic with the ability to play multiple positions with tenacity.
“He fits all the traits that we look for in a Buc, to be a great Buc, so we're excited about that,” he said.
Barton also used to play lacrosse and ran the 40-yard dash in 4.95 seconds on his pro day.
“I’ll continue to build my game around my athletic ability. I’ve added some strength, added some power, continuing to be more consistent, hitting my targets, improving my hand placement, improving my feet — I think those are all things I’ll always have to work on, especially transitioning from college to the NFL," Barton said during a press conference.
Rounds Two and Three of the NFL Draft kick off at 7 p.m. Friday and four through seven will be at noon Saturday. The Bucs will have No. 57 in round two, 89 and 92 in round three, 125 in round four, 220 in round six and 246 in round seven.