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WATCH: Duke IOL Graham Barton Gets Draft Day Call From Buccaneers

Everyone seems excited all around for Barton to head to Tampa Bay.

River Wells

Nov 18, 2021; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils offensive tackle Graham Barton (62)
Nov 18, 2021; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils offensive tackle Graham Barton (62) / Jaylynn Nash-USA TODAY Sports
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It's always a special moment when a player gets drafted in any round, much less the first round. And Duke offensive lineman Graham Barton got to experience that himself on Thursday.

Barton was taken with the No. 26 overall pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the first night of the NFL Draft, giving the Bucs a much-needed piece on the interior offensive line. It was a player that Tampa Bay had been targeting all throughout the process, and now, it has its man.

Both sides were clearly ecstatic to link up, with more than enough evidence to back that up in the draft night phone call between the two sides. You can see how both the Bucs and Barton reacted to the selection in a video posted by Tampa Bay below:

Barton is likely to play center with the Buccaneers, per general manager Jason Licht. Interior offensive line was presented as a big need for the Bucs all offseason, and although Barton has played tackle for most of his college career, he's projected to kick inside at guard.

He mentioned getting to work during his call with Licht and head coach Todd Bowles, and he'll have to chance to do just that, likely starting at center for the 2024 NFL season.

Stick with BucsGameday for more coverage of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers throughout the 2024 offseason.

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River Wells
RIVER WELLS

River Wells is a sports journalist from St. Petersburg, Florida, who has covered the Tampa Bay Buccaneers since 2023. He graduated with a journalism degree from the University of Florida in 2021. You can follow him on Twitter @riverhwells.