Cowboys Rumors: Duke OL Graham Barton Linked to Dallas Ahead of 2024 NFL Draft

The Dallas Cowboys have been connected with Duke offensive lineman Graham Barton ahead of Thursday’s draft, according to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer.

“The versatile Barton is one player I’ve heard connected to the team, which makes sense given Dallas’s track record of success (Zack Martin, Travis Frederick) taking interior linemen high,” Breer wrote Monday.

Breer expects the Cowboys to pursue a running back like Texas’ Jonathan Brooks later in the draft, but to focus on the offensive line the first round.

The Cowboys hold the No. 24 pick in the first round. The team is looking to bolster an OL led by 2023 Pro Bowler Tyler Smith.

The Cowboys select again in the second round at No. 56.

The B/R NFL Scouting Department projects Barton as a first-round pick who “presents enough versatility to start at any of the five positions” in their latest 2024 NFL Mock Draft.

In nine games as starting tackle during his senior season for Duke, Barton helped the Blue Devils offensive line rank top-25 in the nation with 1.31 sacks allowed per game.

Barton missed the Senior Bowl and was limited at the NFL Combine due to injury, but improved his draft stock with a solid showing at Duke’s Pro Day. The 6-foot-5.25 blocker completed a 4.84-second 40-yard dash that led some scouts to say he had earned a spot in the first round, according to Sportskeeda’s Tony Pauline.

Breer compared the Cowboys’ pursuit of Barton to the team’s first-round selections of Frederick (pick No. 31) and Martin (pick No. 16) during the 2013 and 2014 NFL Drafts, respectively.

Frederick ended up making 96 starts and earning five Pro Bowl nominations, including one All-Pro, in six seasons played with the Cowboys before retiring in 2020 due to health reasons. Martin is meanwhile seeking his fourth consecutive All-Pro campaign as he heads into his 10th straight season as a Dallas starter.

There’s also Smith, whom the Cowboys selected with the No. 24 pick of the 2022 draft. Smith’s ability to change positions between guard and tackle has allowed Dallas to handle OL injuries over the past two seasons and will likely remain a key part of the Cowboys’ offensive structure in 2024.

If Dallas believes this former Duke star to be a similarly flexible prospect, the team’s past success with drafting high on offensive lineman could lead the Cowboys to use another first-round pick on Barton.