Graham Barton Becomes First Duke Football First-Rounder This Decade

It's not too often that Duke football finds one of its own selected in the first round of the NFL Draft, but the Blue Devils have just added another such selection to their tally.

Former Duke lineman Graham Barton heard his name with the No. 26 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft on Thursday night. The 6-foot-5, 314-pound Blue Devil will play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Barton began his career in Durham playing center, before moving to become the Blue Devils’ starting left tackle for his final three seasons. He started 39 games across his time with Duke football, earning First Team All-ACC honors in 2022 and 2023 while also being a two-time recipient of the program’s Offensive Lineman of the Year Award.

The moment 👏 @grahambarton53 x @Buccaneers pic.twitter.com/Fh0NzYiL6e
— Duke Football (@DukeFOOTBALL) April 26, 2024

Due to his positional flexibility on the line paired with his four years of high-major experience and off-the-charts qualities in the leadership department, Barton was seen as one of the safer offensive line prospects in a draft full of top options up front.

Tampa Bay was in the market for a young center after losing former starter Ryan Jensen to a collection of career-ending injuries. So, the selection of Barton makes sense for both sides.

A letter from @grahambarton53's parents pic.twitter.com/iaabTa06Wi
— Duke Football (@DukeFOOTBALL) April 26, 2024

The 21-year-old Graham Barton is the first Blue Devil product to come off the board in the first round of an NFL Draft since 2019, when the New York Giants selected former Duke quarterback Daniel Jones at No. 6 overall. And he's only the eighth first-rounder in program history.

Stay tuned to Blue Devil Country on SI for more Duke Blue Devils news.