Steelers Drafting Graham Barton Could Finally Give Them A Quality Center After Multiple Failures

Leading up to the 2024 NFL Draft starting on April 25th, we will be releasing several draft profiles of prospects who could potentially see themselves on the Pittsburgh Steelers. Next up...

Graham Barton (Offensive Line), Duke, Senior

Graham stands in at 6'5", weighing 313lbs, and is one of the best athletes along the offensive line in this draft class. 

Steelers Overview

Barton is going to be one of the hardest evaluations on the offensive line, and that is because his home in the NFL will likely be center, a position he hasn't played since 2020. Being an All-Conference offensive tackle shows that Barton has the ability to play on the edge if absolutely needed, but his lack of length and elite athleticism should result in a move to center. He has a mean streak every team covets in an offensive lineman, and should be able to step in early in his career to a starting spot should he need to.

Pros:

- Perfect demeanor for an offensive lineman, mean streak but controlled

- Consistency, no peaks or valleys in his play

- Top notch effort

- Tremendous athleticism and quickness

- Experience at multiple positions

- Hand and foot technique already appear to be NFL level

- Drives his feet and doesn't lunge/bend to get leverage in run game

- Easily gets out in space

Cons:

- Majority of starting experience at LT, likely moves inside in NFL

- Short arms, would be a bigger concern should he stay at tackle

- Average strength

- Wraps defenders which could result in holding penalties occasionally 

The Steelers currently don't appear to have their starting center on their roster, and Barton could be the guy to fill that void. Barton is going to be a player that every coach loves, but is far from the sexy pick for the fans given the fact he will be switching positions. 

Hand Technique and Footwork

Technique can be hit or miss for offensive linemen coming out, especially since some of them have only one year of starting experience. That isn't the case for Barton, as he appears to be NFL ready with his punches and how he keeps his feet under him. That is to be expected with a player that has started 34 games at LT and another five at center. 

Mobility and Athleticism

One of the best movers in this class, Barton has the ability to get out into space with ease and thrives when asked to climb to the second level. He displays good foot quickness when asked to get on the edge or to climb, and rarely is beat to his mark. Being in the middle in the NFL, climbing up to linebackers is going to be key as he will likely be the man tasked with that on a lot of occasions. 

Power and Strength

While Barton has a strong initial punch, he isn't someone who is going to consistently overwhelm his opponents with power. His consistent effort through every down will wear on his opponents though, and he will appear to get stronger throughout the game. He has enough power to hold his ground and get some movement, but don't expect to see him pushing nose tackles into linebackers' laps. 

NFL Comparison - Ethan Pocic

Both Pocic and Barton have similar tall builds that don't have great length for their positions. Coming out, Pocic also had experience across the offensive line, but ultimately center was the best fit, like it will probably be for Barton. Both are solid athletes who can struggle with overpowering defenders at times, but Pocic still became a top 10 center in the NFL due to his smarts and quickness. 

Draft Projection - Late First Round Pick

It'll be interesting to see where Barton falls, but ultimately I think his ceiling is around the 18-20 range with the potential to fall to the early second round. Making position moves are great on paper, but some teams may be scared off, despite the high level of play.