NFL Draft 2026 Scouting Report for Utah LB Lander Barton

Matt HolderJan 29, 2026

The Barton family is filled with University of Utah athletic legends. Lander Barton's father, Paul, was a two-sport athlete who played football and baseball. His mother, Mikki, is in the school's Hall of Fame as a basketball player. Their children have carried on the legacy.

Their daughter, Dani, was an All-American volleyball player and a member of the USA National Team, while sons Jackson (a 2019 seventh-round pick) and Cody (a third-round pick in the same class) were drafted into the NFL. Those strong genes show up in Lander Barton's game, as a good athlete with natural instincts.

The 6'5", 233-pound linebacker was a 4-star recruit coming out of high school. He received significant playing time as a rotational contributor in Year 1, racking up 46 tackles, eight tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, one pass defended and a forced fumble to become the Pac-12 Freshman Defensive Player of the Year.

Barton became a starter as a sophomore but only participated in seven games after suffering a season-ending leg injury. As a result, he had just 34 tackles and 0.5 TFLs but did manage to record two interceptions (including a pick-six), three PDs and one FF.

In 2024, the Cottonwood Heights, Utah, native started all 12 games and had most productive season with 72 tackles, five TFLs, two sacks, two interceptions (one pick-six), four PDs and a FF.

This past season, Barton earned honorable mention All-Big 12 honors, racking up 55 tackles, 3.5 TFLs, 1.5 sacks, an interception and a PD.

Matt Holder has been a part of B/R's Scouting Department for four seasons. He also writes about the Las Vegas Raiders and NFL draft for SB Nation's Silver and Black Pride, and co-hosts a YouTube Channel, Tape Don't Lie, providing film breakdowns and more draft prospect analysis.

Where He Wins

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- The 6'5" Barton has good frame with room to add weight.

- Impressive overall athlete with fluid hips and the speed to match tight ends in man coverage.

- Movement skills also allow him to tighten throwing windows or make plays on the ball in zone coverage.

- Uses his hands well in coverage to help reroute receivers.

- Displays some burst to him to click and close.

- Against the run, the senior prospect has decent instincts to key and diagnose, with the athleticism to avoid trash and get to the right spot. He's also patient to let the play develop, too.

- Good agility to execute gap exchanges post-snap or match running backs' paths in the backfield.

- Has the size and enough strength to beat running backs in pass protection when blitzing.

Areas of Improvement

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- Barton shows subpar strength as a run-defender, leading to him getting pushed around by offensive linemen.

- Struggles to stack and shed and doesn't use his athletic ability to make linemen miss on the second level, leading to him getting stuck on blocks.

- Could afford to be more physical when taking on blocks in general.

- Likes to take on blocks square instead of working half-a-man, causing him to lose gap control.

- Angles in pursuit are often too deep, leading him to overpursue.

- Below-average awareness in zone coverage. He gets caught staring into the backfield too often and leaves threats in his area or even vacates his area.