Lander Barton Interview: '[My Family] Set A High Bar For Me'

Utah linebacker Lander Barton is among the best and most athletic defensive prospects in college football. Barton has been outstanding for the Utes this season after suffering a season-ending injury prematurely in 2023. In his return, he’s displayed a well-balanced skill set against the pass and run.

Barton recently spoke exclusively with The Draft Network. Barton discussed overcoming adversity, playing linebacker in today’s league, man and zone coverage, being aggressive in the run game, and more.

JM: You've been healthy and productive so far this season. It must mean so much more to you, coming off that season-ending injury last year.

Lander Barton: It 100% does. You always want to come back stronger when you go through something like that. I think I’ve been faster and more explosive. I’ve done a good job playing the same way I was before the injury.

JM: When we turn the tape on, we see an outstanding athlete that flies sideline to sideline. Do you feel like you're “today's” linebacker?

Lander Barton: It’s hard for me to say because there are so many linebackers with different body types. Not every coach, not every team is looking for the same body type. Some teams prefer smaller, speedier guys. Others like a big-bodied, thicker downhill guy. You need to cover nowadays as well. Some teams put more emphasis on playing in the box and fitting the run.

JM: And speaking of coverage, your natural feel for coverage in both man and zone concepts sticks out. You're instinctive in zone and athletic in man. Talk to me about the importance of playing in coverage in today's pass-happy league.

Lander Barton: Everybody knows that it’s a passing league nowadays. Stopping the run is always a big deal, too, no matter what. There are a bunch of great quarterbacks at the next level. You have to stop the pass, and the best teams are using their running backs in the passing game.

It’s made our jobs that much harder as linebackers. We need to excel in coverage.

JM: Talk to me about coming downhill and being aggressive in the run game, because there’s always emphasis on that as well. You're gap-sound in your approach and you're a quick processor on tape.

Lander Barton: Our defense at Utah is incredibly gap-sound. We hang our hat on that. Everyone has a gap they’re responsible for. As long as we all handle our gap assignments, we should be able to stop the run at a pretty high level. The coaching staff harps on that at every single practice. We all have to do our jobs on the field. If we do that, we’ll be okay.

JM: You're from Cottonwood Heights. Your dad was a two-sport athlete at Utah, and your mom was an unbelievable basketball player at the program as well. Your siblings played sports at Utah as well. What does it mean to follow in their footsteps?

Lander Barton: It’s been awesome, but it was kind of expected of me, too. I was very aware of the accomplishments of my siblings, and my parents as well. They set a high bar for me. It’s made me work that much harder.

What's the best game you've played in a Utah jersey to date and why?

Lander Barton: That’s a tough question. You know what, I got hurt in that USC game. I think that was the best game I had played in my career up until the injury. I had started on the right foot. It got cut short in the fourth quarter by injury, but up until that point, that was the best game I’ve ever played.

JM: We love that. We've appreciated your time. What are your goals for the remainder of this season?

Lander Barton: Our first goal is to win the Big 12 Championship. Of course, that comes first and foremost for us. We need to win out and lift that trophy at the end of the season. If we do that, we’ll make the playoffs. Everything else after that will fall into place.