GENERAL MANAGER JASON LICHT

(On what he liked about OL Graham Barton and if he sees Barton as a center or a guard)

"We had him [as a] center, but he can play guard. He did a pretty damn good job playing tackle, too. So, there's a lot of versatility there with him. We had him targeted. To be honest with you, the whole time we were crossing our fingers that he would make it to us and he did, so that's good. He's got a tenacious playing style that we like. He's a very good athlete, he's a very good technician. He played center his freshman year – COVID year, when there was an injury – they threw him in there, really without any practice, during training camp and all that stuff at center. He went in there and really played lights out, we thought, 'Center.' They kicked him out to left tackle because he's the best athlete on the team, which typically happens in college, so we like that. He reminded me a little bit – and a lot of us – of Ali [Marpet]. 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."

(On what he made of the way the first round of the draft shook out)

"Yeah, I was saying thank you [gestures upwards and looks towards the sky]."

(On if he had a sense that the first round would happen the way it did)

"You never know. It's impossible to predict what's going to happen late in the first round – or any round – but late in the first round, especially. It just kind of fell the only way it could have [fallen] for us. Now, he hasn't come in here and played one snap yet, so I'm not trying to put his bust in Canton yet, but we're very happy that we get the guy that we targeted."

(On Barton's biggest strengths and weaknesses)

"Well, he's a rookie – he hasn't played in the NFL and he hasn't experienced all that stuff. 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."

(On how pleased he was when he saw that Dallas traded down from the No. 24 pick)

"Very happy. Yeah, very happy. I'll send them a thank you card."

(On if there was any consideration given to trading back)

"Yeah, we had a plan. We had a cut-off of if a certain player was the only one left, we were going to take him. There [were] a group of players in that category – if they were all gone, then we still liked the players we had on the board but we were going to try to bail out. We had opportunity to, too."

(On how many players he had left in the group of players that they would have drafted at No. 26)

"We had a couple."

(On the importance of the interior offensive line)

"Yeah, just the interior offensive line in general, we're trying to get more physical. We're really happy with the guys that we have. I know that they're getting better, as well, but this was something that Todd [Bowles] and I had talked about since the middle of last year that was something that we needed to improve."

(On the Atlanta Falcons selecting QB Michael Penix at No. 8 overall)

"I'm sure that they have their reason for it, which I can see. It's good long-term planning there. If you hit on him, you've got the future with you. I totally understood it. I didn't think that it was a crazy move whatsoever. I thought somebody was going to probably do that with him."

(On what he thinks the competition at left guard will look like)

"I see it as a good competition. We've got Sua [Opeta], we've got [Ben] Bredeson and you mentioned [Robert] Hainsey. We've got some guys that were with us last year, too, so it's going to be a good competition."

(On the remaining talent at interior offensive line in this year's draft class)

"Yeah, if we want to add some depth. Yeah."

(On how important the center position is to the success of the quarterback)

"It's extremely important. I had a lot of conversations with Tom [Brady] when he was here about that and how important that is – that relationship, too. Yeah, we've put an emphasis on that."

(On if he's talked with QB Baker Mayfield about the pick)

"He contacted me after we selected him. Quarterbacks get excited when you pick big guys in front of him to keep them upright."

(On what Mayfield said about the pick)

"He was excited."

(On if protecting QB Baker Mayfield from interior pressure was a point of emphasis given his stature)

"I think you do that for any quarterback. You want to make sure that you're firm up front, especially at guard and center. You want to do that with every quarterback. I guess it comes into play a little bit more when you have a shorter quarterback."

(On if he feels like Barton will contribute as a run blocker, as well)

"Yeah, we really like his ability to get off the ball, play with leverage, use his hands – once again, plays through the whistle. I think he's got a chance to be very, very good in that area."

(On if he considered taking a cornerback at No. 26)

"Yeah, we had corners on our board. We had those guys on our board, too. Yeah."

(On what his conversations with OL Robert Hainsey will consist of)

"All of our players are very professional. They understand in this business that we're always looking for competition. I think Robert will understand. Like you said, [Barton] hasn't been handed the job yet. We certainly expect him to compete, and everybody to compete."

(On Barton's experience as a lacrosse player)

"Yeah, that's got my wife excited, and my kids. I've got a little bit of a lacrosse community of friends that were pretty fired up about it."

(On Barton's level of intelligence, given his majoring in public policy and interning in a U.S. Senate office)

"That's a very important quality. It doesn't necessarily mean [with] those things that you're going to be a great football mind, but in his case, he is."

CENTER GRAHAM BARTON

(On the Buccaneers hat that he was wearing and if he had it handy when he was drafted)

"They send all 32 teams. I can't say I had it handy – I can't lie to you – but I've got one now and that's all that matters."

(On his conversations with the Buccaneers leading up to the draft)

"Obviously I had a couple of meetings with the Bucs, specifically coach [Kevin] Carberry. I'm just really excited to get to learn from that room and this offensive staff and be a part of this team. I think I can bring a lot to the table. I'm ready to work with these guys and just get into the locker room and show that I'm there to help them, help elevate the place, and help win. I'm looking forward to getting to know everybody and getting down there and becoming part of this team. I'm excited. It's hard to put into words right now. I'm really happy with this and this situation. I'm just excited."

(On his level of comfortability at the center position)

"I think part of this whole process has been my positional flexibility. I think center [or] guard is probably where I'm going to be originally, and then kind of see where I best fit and what they need the most and what works best for me. I've been working on it all spring – I've been snapping for the last couple of months and I feel pretty good, I feel confident. I'm ready to get in. I obviously still have a lot of areas to improve in and I always will, but continuing to chase those improvements and continuing to mature as a football player and continuing to grow my game – those are all things I'm looking forward to doing in Tampa Bay. I just think I can play anywhere and I'm looking forward to figuring out with them where I best fit and where I can best help the team."

(On working with QB Baker Mayfield and if he knows Mayfield at all)

"I don't know Baker, but I'm excited to get to meet him and I'm excited to get to work with him. Obviously from around the league and different people, I hear nothing but great things and I hear he's a class act. I'm just excited to get to work with him and show him that I'm serious about this and I want to help win and I want to build a relationship with him and earn his respect and his trust and just get to know him – be comfortable around him and the other guys and continue to build on what the Bucs have already done and continue to improve."

(On if he knows any current Buccaneers)

"I don't know anyone personally, no."

(On playing with other offensive linemen like Tristan Wirfs, Cody Mauch and Luke Goedeke)

"Obviously, I'm just excited to be able to work with them and pick their brains and learn from guys who've done it at a high level for a couple of years now and learn from what their process is and how they prepare each and every week and just build on that and take things from them. Hopefully I can bring something to the table, too. Being the young guy, I've got to come in and earn their respect, but I'm looking forward to building relationships with them, becoming friends with them, becoming teammates with them. I'm just excited. [There are] a lot of great pieces on that offense and hopefully I can add to that."

(On the importance of his athleticism to his style of play)

"I think [my athleticism] is the reason I'm talking to you guys right now. It helps me get off the ball, it helps me get to my landmarks. It's just kind of what I've built my game around and I'll continue to build my game around my athletic ability. I've added some strength, added some power, continuing to be more consistent, hitting my targets, improving my hand placement, improving my feet – I think those are all things I'll always have to work on, especially transitioning from college to the NFL, those will be big points of emphasis for me. [I look forward to] building on the strength that is my athletic ability."

(On the Buccaneers drafting high-character players over the last few years)

"I just think I'm a hard worker, I play with grit, I play with toughness, I have a passion for this sport and I truly love what I do and I think I show that on tape. I don't think anything is going to change going from Duke to Tampa Bay. I think I'll bring that same attitude every day. I'm aggressive, I finish blocks – that'll never change – for me, that's who I am and that's what I'll always be. I plan on bringing that to the room and obviously just adding to them and wanting to work with them and building close relationships and immerse myself into the position room."

-BUCCANEERS-