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New Buccaneers First Round Draft Pick Graham Barton: 'I'm Ready to Work'
Duke IOL Graham Barton is ready to be a Buccaneer.
Duke lineman Graham Barton was waiting to hear his name called on Thursday night in the first round of the NFL Draft, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers made sure he wouldn't wait any longer at pick No. 26.
Barton was taken by the Bucs to be their new center, playing tackle in college but moving inside in the NFL. And although that will be a change for him, Barton is more than ready to take the challenge and play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at the next level.
"[I'm] excited to be here, I'm ready to work, I'm ready to be a [Buccaneer] and get to know this locker room and kind of earn the respect of my teammates and just get to work."
Barton will serve as the team's center after the retirement of Ryan Jensen, which led to Robert Hainsey taking a second season under center. His quarterback will be Baker Mayfield, another player he's ready to get to work for — and someone he admires.
Barton says that Mayfield is a natural leader and competitor, and that he's excited to be on a team with the Tampa Bay signal caller at the helm.
"I hear he is a great guy and a great leader, so [I'm] just ready to get to know him and build that relationship, and obviously, earn his respect and show him that I'm here to help win and help build this culture," Barton said. "I think just earning that respect and starting to build that relationship will obviously be a big priority for me and for this team."
But what can fans expect from Barton? He's a violent player with a high motor who will try to make the most of each rep, and in college, he often did. He played some tough competition in the ACC (including current Bucs outside linebacker Yaya Diaby), and he wanted fans to know that he plays the game with the intention to go all out every play.
"To me, it's about making the right block, displacement and violence – that's how the offensive line position should look, and I take a lot of pride in making sure I'm doing that to the best of my ability. You can only play this game so long, so it's like, why waste a snap? Every rep is foot on the gas."
Finally, Barton reiterated how excited he is to play for the Bucs, saying he's ready to get started and that he's ready to join a winning culture like the one they have in Tampa Bay.
"I'm excited to play in a city like Tampa Bay. Football clearly means a lot to a lot of people down here," Barton said. "I can't say enough about what I've seen so far of Tampa Bay and this organization."
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