2024 NFL Draft

Steelers First Round Target Graham Barton Could Go Earlier than Expected

Pittsburgh Steelers potential first round target Graham Barton is flying up draft boards quickly and could go earlier than expected.

Published

2 months ago

March 23, 2024

Nick Farabaugh

Pittsburgh Steelers 2024 NFL Draft Prospect OL Graham Barton

The Pittsburgh Steelers have three early center targets they could look at: Jackson Powers-Johnson, Zach Frazier, and the most intriguing player, Graham Barton. Barton, out of Duke, has steadily maintained a significant presence in the mind of NFL scouts and, according to Jordan Reid, could go far earlier than anyone thinks.

“In talking to scouts, one name that keeps coming up as someone who could go earlier than expected is Duke offensive lineman Graham Barton. His pro day is set for March 28, and evaluators are looking forward to seeing him back in action after he missed out on the Senior Bowl and battled injuries last season. There are still mixed opinions about his best position at the next level, though. The No. 26 prospect on my board (and second-ranked center) is 6-foot-5 and 313 pounds, and there are some scouts who believe Barton can be a tackle in the pros. But even if Barton projects on the interior, there are a lot of teams looking for a starter at center; the Steelers (No. 20), Dolphins (No. 21) and Cowboys (No. 24) make a lot of sense here,” Reid wrote.

Barton has played left tackle and center in the past, but he played center in 2020. That is only one year of experience, though most teams say Barton will shift inside. The Steelers are unlikely to draft a guy who will project as a guard, so if they draft Barton, it will be because they view him as an interior offensive lineman or believe he can stick it out at tackle.

He’s a talented, smooth mover. And Barton, with all of his experience, has become one of the more polished players in this class. You can compare him closely to Northwestern’s Peter Skoronski from the 2023 NFL Draft. Many project him to move back to the center, and he has showcased an ability to succeed consistently in whatever position teams put him on the field. Enough consideration has probably not yet been given to him at 20th overall.