Lander Barton
Lander Barton is an American college 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
Barton was born in Cottonwood Heights, Utah, later attending Brighton High School. 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 is a professional volleyball player overseas, in the United States, and for the United States Women’s National Team; and both of his brothers, Cody and Jackson, each have played for Utah and in the National Football League.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. 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. Barton was highly recruited, being ranked a four-star prospect, the second-best player in the state and the 17th-best linebacker nationally. He committed to play college football for the Utah Utes, following in the steps of several of his family members.