Rookie Graham Barton named Bucs' starting center

First-round pick Graham Barton has been named the starting center for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Coach Todd Bowles made the announcement on Tuesday with respect to Barton, who played both center and left tackle at Duke. Barton, 22, was selected by Tampa Bay with the 26th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. "Yes, Barton will start at center," Bowles said. "We knew he was tough. Just how fast he picked it up. The experience he has been getting, the way he's been finishing plays, and (his) pass protection has picked up a lot." Robert Hainsey, who had been the Bucs' starter at the position for the last two seasons, will serve as the backup. "Graham is a very smart player, a very athletic player as well," Bucs' starting right tackle Luke Goedeke said. "He takes pride in his work, comes to work every day, does all the right things, even as a rookie. That's few and far between. Being drafted as a first-round pick, obviously there's an expectation, and he's definitely met that expectation. He's done a really nice job for us, so I can't wait to see him continue to grow." Hainsey, 26, has played in 43 games (34 starts) since Tampa Bay drafted him in the third round in 2021. --Field Level Media