Graham Barton scouting report: Exploring the Duke interior offensive lineman's strengths and weaknesses

A three-star offensive guard recruit in 2020, Graham Barton jumped in at center for the final six games (five starts) once Duke’s top two options went down with season-ending injuries. Over the following two years, he started all 25 games at left tackle, making first-team All-ACC in the last. Injuries limited him to only nine games this past season, but he was still recognized as first-team all-conference.

Graham Barton scouting report

Run-blocking:

• Explosive out of his stance to dig defensive linemen out of their gap with a tenacious attitude
• Consistently can center his blocks and transfer power from the ground up
• Rolls his hips into contact and then walls off edge defenders to open up the B-gap on the play-side on inside zone or duo
• Latches and sustains on zone concepts, being able to occupy his man and create lateral flow
• Tremendous puller, who gets on his horse to reach his landmarks earlier than the player he’s responsible for
• You see Barton at times wrap around the center and wall off the MIKE backer on run calls away from his original alignment
• Consistently can work up through contact and create displacement against moving targets
• Finished 2022 with 17 big-time blocks (PFF’s highest-graded blocks) – five more than any other tackle in the country
• Was the only OT in the Power Five with PFF grades of 85+ as a run- and pass-blocker in 2022

Pass-protection:

• Consistently is the first man out of his stance in pass-pro
• Showcases great balance in his kick-slide, being able to absorb force and move in either direction
• Adjusts his stride length and general approach depending on what rushers through at him, getting into a bracing position if guys try to charge in with a couple of steps to build up
• His understanding of the depth of quarterback and how the pocket is constructed allows him to ride his man just enough off track and not get a hand on the passer
• Gets that outside foot in the ground and cuts off the angle for edge rushers jumping inside in a hurry
• Able to fit one hand at the shoulder pad and the opposite one under the opposite chest plate to control rushers
• Frequently rides edge rushers past the quarterback, getting underneath their armpit just as they pull the near arm through and can’t counter the inside hand of Barton
• Allowed just two sacks each of the past two seasons, no QB hits and 17 combined hurries (745 combined pass-blocking snaps)

Weaknesses:

• With his arms coming in an eighth of an inch short of the 33 benchmark, Barton will most likely have to transition inside – which he hasn’t played since starting at center back in 2020
• Can get a little too aggressive with his forward lean and end up slipping off contact, if he has one hand swiped away
• Shows limited stride length, due to his build, and can be outraced around the arc, which might also show up against explosive B-gap rushers
• Because of that, you see him overset vs. speed threats from wide alignments and make himself vulnerable to inside counters or having that opposite pec attacked at times (watch the 2023 matchup vs. Florida State’s Jared Verse)
• The grip strength is definitely a plus, but he needs to learn when to let go to avoid holding calls – penalized 13 times over the past two seasons combined

Barton should be one of the most rock-solid players coming out of this draft – it’s just not going to be at tackle. The lack of length and foot speed forces him to get into compromised position against guys who can threaten the corner and I want him to have those bumpers to either side that force rushers to battle him in a more confined space because he’ll have the upper body in those situations.

I think he could be this year’s version of Peter Skoronski, who ended up purely lining up at left guard for the Titans. His skill set should also translate well to a power-based center role. Somewhere in the 20s seems appropriate.

Grade: Late first round