We spent a little time with Duke offensive lineman Graham Barton this past week. Let’s get to know him a little better.
DFBT: Explain what it felt like to play in front of a capacity crowd at Wallace Wade for the UNC game.
Graham: That was pretty cool. For my three years (obviously with my first year being COVID), I haven’t played in a home environment like that here at Wallace Wade, so that was really awesome to see. The people are starting to take notice of what we are building here and what the program is doing. We are taking steps forward, so I hope we can see (crowds like) that some more. A huge “thank you” the the students and fans who came out to support us. You guys were loud!
DFBT: Having grown up in Tennessee, how did it make you feel to see the goalposts get torn down in Neyland Stadium last weekend?
Graham: I have a lot of friends who go to Tennessee, and a lot that go to Alabama as well. I heard the banter all week in group chats. I don’t really have a side, but I thought it was funny to see my buddies at Tennessee get on my buddies at Alabama.
DFBT: Offensive linemen know how to eat. Walk us through your favorite three-course meal.
Graham: Appetizer – probably some sort of nachos with ground beef, queso, and then you could throw pretty much anything else on there you want. Main course – bacon cheeseburger with mayo and pickles (no lettuce or tomato…no vegetables), with sweet potato fries, and a Sprite. Dessert – I could go many directions, but I will go with a big, warm brownie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.
DFBT: If you were not pursuing a career playing football, what would you pursue?
Graham: I get asked this question, and I don’t want to say I don’t know. But I don’t have an exact answer to it. I have other things I am interested in. I am a public policy major, so I’d like something potentially in clean energy solutions. I enjoy the National Security and foreign affairs side of public policy as well. And then there’s sports business as well. I love sports obviously, so really I would love to stay in the sports industry if I am not playing professionally.
DFBT: You’re on deserted island, and you can take one book, one TV series, and one movie. What do you bring?
Graham: Book – I read it when I was a kid. It’s “Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief.” TV series – I’ve seen it like 15 times now, so I would probably have to take Friends. I just doesn’t get old, so I could watch it over and over. Movie – Probably Happy Gilmore. Yeah Happy Gilmore. Haha!