After the Bucs selected Duke’s Graham Barton with the No. 26 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft on Thursday night, you could hear the excitement in general manager Jason Licht’s voice as he spoke with the media.
You could even see it, considering he gestured a “thank you” to the skies — or, more specifically, the ceiling of the press conference room at the AdventHealth Training Center.
Once Licht explained some of the players he sees in Graham Barton, it was easy to understand why he was so thrilled to have the two-time All-American and two-time All-ACC selection fall to Tampa Bay at No. 26.
“He reminded me a little bit – and a lot of us – of Ali [Marpet],” Licht said. “He had some Ryan Jensen in him, which is a very good thing, too, and the personality of Tristan Wirfs. So, he had some pretty good lab work there.”
“Pretty good lab work” is right, isn’t it?
Bucs C Ryan Jensen and LG Ali Marpet – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
Marpet, Jensen and Wirfs are three of the best Bucs offensive linemen – not only in recent history, but of all time.
Those three players are revered within the walls of the Bucs’ facility and among the Tampa Bay faithful. That makes sense, considering they have five Pro Bowls between them and made up 60% of the Super Bowl LV-winning offensive line in 2020.
It goes without saying that Licht wasn’t putting Barton level with three of the best offensive linemen in franchise history, but to see some of them in their 2024 first-round pick? That’s exciting, and it’s no wonder the veteran general manager and the Bucs’ brass were drawn to him.
Licht went on to say that Barton has “all of the traits” they look for when they’re trying to find players who will go on to be great Bucs.
“Well, he’s a rookie – he hasn’t played in the NFL and he hasn’t experienced all that stuff,” Licht said. “He’s got the tools to do it all. He’s a very athletic guy, he plays with a great base, he plays with good anchor, and he plays with a nasty temperament. It’s all ingredients that we look for in our offensive line. He fits all of the traits that we look for in a [Buccaneer] – to be a great [Buccaneer]. We’re excited about that.”
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