The Bucs’ biggest recent draft mistake was the selection of center Graham Barton in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Don’t get me wrong—Barton has the potential to be a solid offensive lineman for years to come. However, that doesn’t justify selecting him where we did, especially considering the circumstances of that draft year. As former Bucs coach Bruce Arians once said, “You draft for need, you get fired. Draft the best player.”
Was Barton truly the best player available, or did we draft him out of a mistaken sense of need? I argue it was the latter. I don’t believe center was as pressing a need as many in the media, fans, and even some inside One Buc Place suggested. Robert Hainsey has proven to be a capable center, showcasing his skills last year as the starter for the Jacksonville Jaguars, where he anchored an offensive line leading to the 11th-best offense in the NFL.
Jags’ Robert Hainsey
Last season, Barton did some commendable things, notably filling in for the injured Tristan Wirfs at left tackle during the early part of the 2025 season. Not every center can make that adjustment, but it raises the question: is Barton a true center? If not, why are we playing him at that position?
I doubt we would have seen much difference if Hainsey had been the Bucs’ center for the past two seasons. In fact, he might have performed even better. Hainsey was a two-time captain at Notre Dame, much like Barton at Duke, and at 27 years old, he was entering his prime.
If I had to choose between the two to start a team today, I’d select Barton for his youth—he’s only 23. But that doesn’t justify drafting him where we did. We took him in the first round with the 26th overall pick. A center selected in the first round, needs to quickly accumulate Pro Bowl seasons. Quality centers can often be found in the 3rd, 4th, or 5th rounds, and many long-term starters have emerged from those later rounds.
WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN
You might wonder who was available with that 26th pick. Some of the names taken shortly after Barton included DT Jer’Zhan Newton, DT Braden Fiske, CB Cooper DeJean, and CB Renardo Green—all productive players at positions where we needed help. I’d take any one of them, along with Hainsey, on our roster right now.
Let’s consider another angle: what if we had been willing to pursue someone high on my board instead of simply picking at #26? General Manager Jason Licht has been hesitant to move up in the first round over the last five years, opting for players who fall to our pick. While that can be a safe strategy, when a top-10 talent drops close enough to warrant consideration, a willingness to trade up is essential. CB Quinyon Mitchell fell to the 22nd pick, and Edge Chop Robinson to the 21st—both within range to move up if the other team was open to it. But my ideal move would have been to trade up for the 18th or 19th pick to grab Jared Verse, my top Edge player in the draft. I consistently maintained during that draft season that if he fell below 15, we had to go after him. That opportunity arose, yet we did nothing, despite Edge, like every year for the last 4 years, was our biggest need. Sometimes, you have to sacrifice a few quality players to secure difference-makers.
Rams’ Jared Verse
In 2024, we had four draft picks in the first three rounds (92 picks). One of those was 2nd rounder Chris Braswell. This illustrates how poor decisions can lead to more poor choices. By selecting a center in the first round, we felt compelled to address our edge issue with our next pick. However, second-round Edge players often struggle to produce early in their careers, especially as you move further from the top 15 picks. Centers, on the other hand, typically do not have the same production drop-off.
We can’t say for certain how the Bengals or Rams would have responded to a trade proposal from us, but the Bengals ended up selecting OT Amarium Mims—a pick that seemed more like a necessity than a strategic choice. That quality could have been found at the 26th pick. The Rams ended up selecting Verse, but given their many needs that offseason, perhaps they stumbled into a good pick. We’ll never truly know.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Every pick is crucial. Every missed first-round pick can have long-lasting repercussions. If missed, you may find yourself repeatedly drafting for that position, or you could lose a player who doesn’t sign a second contract, depriving you of essential building blocks. It’s critical to hit on first-round selections. If we had taken Barton or even Jackson Powers-Johnson in the second round, I wouldn’t have minded at all. However, spending a first-round pick on a center who may or may not be playing out of position has not been a win for the Bucs thus far. Had we secured Verse, we wouldn’t be discussing the need to trade for a Maxx Crosby or sign a pricey free agent like Trey Hendrickson. Every pick carries weight and implications.
Hindsight is always 20/20. At the time center was a massive need and I and most people were perfectly good with the pick.
