Graham Barton has probably received more of a late push up the draft boards than anybody else in recent weeks. Many now speak of him as the top center in the class, and his position versatility only increases his desirability. And apparently, he’s quite desirable, according to Dane Brugler, who believes the Pittsburgh Steelers are very high on him.
“There’s at least a chance we could see Barton go much earlier than this, somewhere in the teens”, he told Matt Harmon on the Yahoo Fantasy Football Show podcast, referring to the Steelers taking him with the 20th-overall pick. “Maybe a team trades up to go and get Graham Barton. I know the Cowboys really like Barton. If he falls to 20, if he’s there on the board, there’s at least a pretty good chance Graham Barton is the top-graded player on the Steelers’ board”. Harmon added that based on what he’s heard, that’s quite likely true.
That’s hardly surprising to hear at this point, as local reporters have been saying the same thing. Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette recently predicted that the Steelers will draft him if he’s there. He also specified that they view him as a center, first and foremost. And so do a lot of teams, but many also value his ability to play up and down the line.
“Graham Barton’s one of those players that I think has a universal approval rating”, Brugler said. “There’s not a lot of teams that are gonna look at Graham Barton and say, ‘No, not a fit’. Maybe he’s not a tackle for them, but center, guard, there’s somewhere you can play Graham Barton, and probably give you an upgrade”.
I don’t see a team drafting Barton in the first round to step in right now and play tackle. However, most probably see him as a plug-and-play interior lineman, either at guard or center. The Steelers have two veteran guards they added via free agency in recent years, but no viable center.
After cutting former starter Mason Cole—who remains unsigned—their “top” center is Nate Herbig. He only has about four dozen career snaps played at center, primarily a guard, but the Steelers keep mentioning him. They also have Spencer Anderson and Ryan McCollum, two longshot young players. RG James Daniels has a center background but hasn’t played the position in a few years—neither has Barton, though.
One can readily believe that the Steelers are set on drafting a starting center this week. Dulac has previously indicated that they’ve narrowed their focus to just the top three prospects as viable immediate starters. But they’re certainly not getting Graham Barton outside of the first round. Zach Frazier and Jackson Powers-Johnson are only marginally less unlikely, according to some.
I do think that even for the Steelers, Barton’s flexibility raises his value. Many believe he can be a great guard as well, and Daniels is only under contract through 2024. Isaac Seumalo is already 30 years old and has two years left on his deal. There’s nothing saying he can’t end up playing guard in a year or two—or even tackle, for that matter. Just another reason for him to be the top player on their board after 19 selections.
