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Lander Barton

Lander Barton
Utah Utes – No. 8
PositionLinebacker
ClassJunior
MajorCommunication
Personal information
Born: (2003-12-30) December 30, 2003 (age 20)
Cottonwood Heights, Utah, U.S.
Height6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Weight236 lb (107 kg)
Career history
CollegeUtah (2022–present)
High schoolBrighton (Cottonwood Heights)
Career highlights and awards

Lander Barton (born December 30, 2003)[1] is an American football linebacker for the Utah Utes. He was named the 2022 Pac-12 Defensive Freshman of the Year. He is the younger brother of NFL players Cody Barton and Jackson Barton.

Early life

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Barton was born c. 2003 – c. 2004 in Cottonwood Heights, Utah, later attending Brighton High School.[2][3] He comes from a family of athletes; his father, Paul, played baseball and football for the Utah Utes; his mother, Mikki-Kane, was an honorable mention All-American basketball player for Utah as well as an athlete competing in volleyball; his sister, Dani Drews, was an All-American volleyball player for the Utes; and both of his brothers, Cody and Jackson, each have played for Utah and in the National Football League (NFL).[4]

Barton attended Brighton High School and played basketball and football: in football, he was twice first-team all-state, twice first-team all-region and was the 2020 Region 6 MVP; and in basketball he was a second-team all-state choice.[5][6][7] He played linebacker and wide receiver in football, totaling 122 tackles in addition to two interceptions as a senior while also having a career total of 16 receiving touchdowns.[7] Barton was highly recruited, being ranked a four-star prospect, the second-best player in the state and the 17th-best linebacker nationally.[5][8][9] He committed to play college football for the Utah Utes, following in the steps of several of his family members.[10]

College career

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As a true freshman at Utah in 2022, Barton appeared in 14 games, three as a starter, and posted 46 tackles, eight TFLs, 4.5 sacks, a forced fumble and fumble recovery.[11][12] He was selected by College Football News as a second-team Freshman All-American and was named the Pac-12 Conference Freshman Defensive Player of the Year.[5][13] He entered the 2023 season as a starter at linebacker.[11]

References

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  1. ^ "Utah Blood Runs Deep in Barton Brothers — and the Rest of the Barton Family". The Daily Utah Chronicle. November 2, 2015.
  2. ^ "Utah Blood Runs Deep in Barton Brothers — and the Rest of the Barton Family". The Daily Utah Chronicle. November 2, 2015.
  3. ^ "Lander Barton". ESPN.
  4. ^ Call, Jeff (August 22, 2022). "'Now I'm living the experience they had': Lander Barton carrying on Utah family legacy". Deseret News.
  5. ^ a b c "60 in 60: #9 Utah's Lander Barton (Linebacker)". KSLSports.com. August 22, 2023.
  6. ^ Dutson, Tavia (January 25, 2020). "Lander Barton continues family legacy at Brighton High School". Cottonwood Heights Journal.
  7. ^ a b Christensen, Jerry (January 31, 2023). "Brighton alumnus Lander Barton named PAC-12 Defensive Freshman of the Year". Cottonwood Heights Journal.
  8. ^ Vejar, Alex (October 16, 2021). "Brighton linebacker Lander Barton's college decision might mean leaving his 'favorite place in the world'". The Salt Lake Tribune.
  9. ^ Furlong, Josh (April 7, 2022). "'The bar is set': Lander Barton knows the expectations and he's ready for the challenge". KSL.com.
  10. ^ Zuke, Ryan (November 10, 2021). "Michigan top 2022 linebacker target Lander Barton commits to Utah". MLive.com.
  11. ^ a b Coles, Joe (September 19, 2023). "'Trying to make a name for myself': Lander Barton making the big plays for Utah". Deseret News.
  12. ^ Call, Jeff (April 19, 2023). "No longer 'a deer in the headlights,' Lander Barton growing from young buck to veteran leader". Deseret News.
  13. ^ Judd, Brandon (December 6, 2022). "Lander Barton, 4 first-teamers lead Utah players honored on Pac-12 all-conference team". Deseret News.
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