INDIANAPOLIS — One of the most intriguing options for the Pittsburgh Steelers at center in this offseason is Duke OL Graham Barton. He spent his 2020 true-freshman season at center before moving full-time to tackle for the rest of his time in college. Senior Bowl director Jim Nagy raved over his potential at center and told the media in various interviews before the event that Barton was expected to play a lot of center in Mobile, but a minor injury held him out of the event.
He was as solid as they come at tackle, and his center tape as a true freshman was good. But it can be difficult to pull the trigger on a player projected to go in the first round if you are drafting him to play a position he hasn’t played in three years.
He addressed some of these concerns at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine during the media availability on Saturday morning.
“I could fit into a lot of offensive lines in the NFL,” Barton said. “I play with my feet well. I’ve got fast feet, and so I think that transitions well for me to many offensive lines.”
But to play the center position, you need more than just foot speed. It is regarded as one of the most difficult and technically complex positions across the offensive line. For one, they are touching the ball on every play, so they have to have the operation of snapping the football down first and foremost. I asked him if snapping the football is an easy skill to pick up after a three-year break from the position.
“Yeah, absolutely. I think it’s like riding a bike,” Barton said. “It’s a learned skill, and once you have that skill, it’s something you carry on. Definitely gonna continue to work on that and be ready to go at any position.”
But there is also the mental side of the position. Since they are in the middle of the line, they are in charge of calls at the line and making sure the rest of the unit is on the same page.
“Yeah, there’s a lot of thinking going on. You’ve gotta identify fronts, you’ve gotta get everyone on the same page,” Barton said. “You’ve gotta flip protections if different things happen, and you’ve gotta command the huddle…You’re almost like a second quarterback of the offense.”
He confirmed that he did have a formal meeting with the Steelers and had this to say about the meeting with head coach Mike Tomlin:
“We just sat there face to face,” Barton said. “He asked me several questions just getting to know me and getting to know me as a player and an athlete. Really enjoyed just getting to meet them and the people in that office.”
He was also asked how his game might fit within Steelers’ OC Arthur Smith’s outside-zone run scheme.
“I’m an athletic guy,” Barton said. “I’m fast laterally and I’m fast vertically, so I think that helps me in that outside zone scheme ability to reach defenders, get to play-side shoulders and cut guys off. And so I think that’s something I excel at.”
In short, he doesn’t know what position he is best suited for. He truly believes he can play all five across the offensive line and suggested that it will depend on the needs of the team that drafts him. For the Steelers, they would need to feel comfortable that he can be the next great center for the franchise.
Check out his scouting report on our site here:
