Draft analysts are posting their final mock drafts on the morning of Day 1 of the 2024 NFL Draft, and one thing is very clear—nobody is quite sure who, or even what position, the Pittsburgh Steelers are targeting with their top selection. Already this morning, Peter Schrager went with a wide receiver, while Cris Collinsworth had a right tackle. NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein took a different route and addressed the Steelers’ top need with Duke OL Graham Barton. Here is what he wrote about the pick:
“I know the Steelers have needs at tackle, cornerback and wide receiver, but hear me out. Pittsburgh certainly could use help along the interior O-line, as well, and Barton might be one of the safest picks in the first round as someone who can play center or guard as an immediate starter.”
While Barton may be a “safe” pick, as Zierlein suggested, he isn’t the safest pick at the center position. It is just that if things don’t work out at center, Barton could be capable of stepping in at guard or even tackle.
At 6053, 313 pounds, with 32 7/8-inch arms, Barton doesn’t have ideal length for an NFL tackle, but that is where he played a majority of his time at Duke on the left side. He had 430 center snaps in 2020 as a freshman, so there is at least some projection involved with drafting him to play that position in the first round.
Worst case, he struggles at center in 2024 and can be moved out to guard in 2025 with James Daniels entering the final year of his contract. There is even a possibility that Daniels could kick inside to center in 2024 with Barton at right guard if that is the way things shake out in training camp. Daniels has been a guard his entire NFL career, but he was a two-year starter at center for Iowa in college.
Barton tested really well at his pro day after missing most of the pre-draft process with a shoulder injury. His 4.97-second 40-yard dash, and his 10-yard split of 1.68 are both elite for an interior offensive lineman, and his agility drills were equally impressive with a 4.55-second short shuttle and a 7.31 in the three-cone drill. That type of athleticism is perfectly suited for OC Arthur Smith’s wide zone run scheme that he has a history of implementing.
The Steelers showed plenty of interest in Barton with a pre-draft visit and sending OC Arthur Smith to his pro day.
Whether he works out at center or not, Barton has the college tape, athleticism, and play demeanor to be a highly successful offensive lineman at the next level. He told me at the NFL Scouting Combine that snapping the football as a center is like riding a bike—once you know how to do it, it comes back to you quickly.
