Tonight, commissioner Roger Goodell will take the stage in Detroit to kick off the first round of the NFL draft. Countless college players will see their dreams of reaching the league realized during the weekend, with 32 names on the opening night bringing in a monster payday.
Former Duke offensive lineman Graham Barton's name will more than likely be called Thursday evening, so let’s break down some potential fits for the former Blue Devil standout. Although he mostly played left tackle during his time in Durham, the Brentwood, Tenn., native projects to slide inside once he reaches the league, so for the sake of this exercise, we will look at teams that have holes in the interior offensive line.
Here are, in order of selection, four teams that could draft Barton Thursday night:
Cincinnati Bengals (No. 18)
On the roster: C Ted Karras, G Alex Cappa, G Cody Ford
The fit: This is likely the highest that Barton could go, and the Bengals would not be a bad spot for the star to land at all. Cincinnati has struggled to protect the quarterback in recent years, making a lineman who rarely gets beat in pass protection a natural fit. A chance to block for elite signal-caller Joe Burrow and compete for a Super Bowl alongside star receiver Ja’Marr Chase? I doubt Barton would turn his nose up at the chance to become a Bengal.
Pittsburgh Steelers (No.20)
On the roster: G Issac Seumalo, C Nate Herbig, G James Daniels
The fit: In recent days, this has become the most mocked spot for Barton to land, and the Steel City would be a good spot to end up. Obviously, the Steelers struggled to score last year under offensive coordinator Matt Canada and a hodgepodge of quarterbacks, but head coach Mike Tomlin has two intriguing options at his disposal this season — Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. While the ceiling may not be instantly as high as the other teams on this list, Tomlin has never finished a season below .500, giving Barton a nice winning floor to start his career.
Philadelphia Eagles (No. 22)
On the roster: G Landon Dickerson, C Cam Jurgens, G Tyler Steen
The fit: To me, this feels like the destination that is both the most natural fit and gives Barton the best chance of winning now. Jason Kelce's retirement after an illustrious career signals a changing of the guard up front in Philly for the first time in more than a decade, a spot Barton could step into as he reverts back to his freshman year position of center. Plus, getting the chance to block for Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley on a Super Bowl-caliber roster? Sign me up.
Dallas Cowboys (No. 24)
On the roster: G T.J. Bass, C Brock Hoffman, G Zack Martin
The fit: Much like their division rival, the Cowboys seem to fit Barton in two obvious ways. First, they have an elite offense headlined by Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb that would give him a chance to compete instantly. Second, they really need offensive help, as two of their three interior offensive lineman currently projected to start are very unproven. Even though Zack Martin is one of the best in the business, he can not hold it down alone, making it easy to imagine Barton’s fit in Dallas.
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