Duke in the pros: Jones bounces back while Barton continues to perform

With the NFL season now in full swing, the Blue Zone takes a look at how a few former Duke athletes have been performing at the professional level: 

Daniel Jones, New York Giants 

Before Sunday’s game against the Cleveland Browns, it was hard to find something going right for the New York Giants and their starting quarterback Daniel Jones. Last season, the former first-round pick inked a four-year contract with the Giants but suffered a year-ending ACL tear just six games into the season. Coming off his injury in the first two games of 2024, Jones struggled mightily, amassing less than 200 passing yards each game and throwing for two interceptions. In week 3 against the Browns, though, the connection between the Duke alum and rookie receiver Malik Nabers shined, as the pair combined for two touchdowns on the day. In a league where passing, and offense in general, is on the decline, the former Blue Devil’s four passing scores place him well above the league-average, which may give Giants fans hope that their offense will find continued success moving forward. The key to New York’s improvement may lie in Jones’ recently healed legs; the Charlotte native’s rushing ability has been key for the Giants in the past, such as in 2022 where Jones recorded an impressive 708 rushing yards.

-Tyler Ruben  

Graham Barton, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

Duke alumnus Graham Barton was selected with the twenty-sixth pick in this year’s NFL Draft, marking the first time a center was picked in the first round since the Ravens selected Tyler Linderbaum in 2022. Barton has started the first three games of the season for the Buccaneers, and is off to a strong start to his rookie year. Although Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield has been sacked a total of thirteen times so far, Barton has played a key role in helping Mayfield throw for a total of 637 yards while completing 74.4% of his passes. Mayfield has also thrown for six passing touchdowns behind a sturdy offensive line, tied for second most in the league. Every snap in football starts with the center, so it’s difficult to succeed in the NFL in any capacity without a solid starter at the position. Graham Barton will hope to continue his strong play next week against the Philadelphia Eagles as the Buccaneers try to bounce back from a disappointing loss to the Denver Broncos last time out. 

–Dean Harder

Griffin Conine, Miami Marlins

-Tyler Ruben