A new mock draft from Eric Edholm of NFL.com sent Duke offensive lineman Graham Barton to the Green Bay Packers at No. 25 overall.
Barton, a versatile and highly athletic offensive line prospect, appears to check all the boxes for the Packers.
Here’s Edholm on Barton to the Packers: “The Packers have a history of seeking versatility in their OL draft picks, especially those who have played tackle in college. Barton primarily manned left tackle at Duke, but he projects to center (where he played almost 500 snaps as a college freshman) or guard in the NFL. He fits a similar athletic profile to the departed Jon Runyan but with a higher ceiling as a player.”
Barton (6-5, 313) checked a final box during his pro day this week. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.84 seconds and completed the short shuttle in 4.43 seconds and the three-cone drill in 7.34 seconds. His arms measured 33″ with a wingspan of 80,” according to Duke. With pro day testing, Barton’s Relative Athletic Score will be above 9.0 at all five offensive line positions.
If picked by the Packers, Barton could immediately compete to start at right guard or even at center. Many believe center is going to be Barton’s best position, but he played left tackle at Duke and is likely capable of playing all three interior line positions.
The Packers lost Jon Runyan Jr. in free agency and will have Josh Myers entering 2024 on the final year of his rookie deal. Sean Rhyan, a 2022 third-round pick, is a potential starting candidate at right guard. In a deep offensive line draft class, the Packers will almost certainly take multiple prospects to rebuild depth up front on offense.
Would the Packers use a first-round pick on an interior line starter? It’s possible Barton will be viewed more highly if teams like the Packers believe he can play tackle at the NFL level.
It’s worth noting that the Packers haven’t drafted an offensive lineman in the first round since Derek Sherrod in 2011.
