Scouting Profile: Lander Barton - LB - Utah
Sales Pitch: Experienced backer who is not afraid to play through contact in the run game. Athletic concerns limit his upside but possesses the IQ and technique to be a 3-down starter.
*Gold Numbers Indicate NCAA T-25 at LB for 2024*
Scouting Report
Lander Barton is a former 4-Star recruit from the state of Utah - the #2 recruit from the state in 2021 - after being an All-State athlete in both football and basketball. Barton was a three year starter for the Utes, playing in over 30 games and finishing second on the team in tackles in 2024.
Barton is a tall player for the position with good length. He is stronger than he is fast but has enough speed to cover ground sideline to sideline. He is a willing and capable run defender at the point of attack. He uses his size and strength to take on and shed blocks in the hole. Barton plays with good leverage and angles when tracking ball carriers to the sideline. He does a good job using his size and length to attack ball carriers as a tackler allowing him to bring them to the ground despite stopping his feet too often. Barton is a well polished zone coverage player. He does an excellent job with his initial drops taking away quick throwing lanes. He shows good awareness of routes concepts and shows the ability to take away intermediate throws as a hook dropper.
Barton is a functional athlete for the position but he lacks above average burst and change of direction skills. When he is wrong as a run defender he lacks the physical tools to recover. Barton has a tendency as the backside defender to over run plays exposing cutback lanes as well. This aggressiveness leads to some struggles in the open field as a tackler, where his high pad level and average change of direction skills hinder him versus quicker players. Barton’s athletic limitations create mismatches for teams that can get him isolated in man coverage. He plays with good technique and uses his leverage well but lacks the movement skills to mirror legit receiving TE’s 1-on-1. Barton shows the power to run through backs in pass protection as a blitzer but lacks the quickness or bend to be a pass rush asset on his own.
Barton profiles as a SAM backer who slides to WILL in nickel sets. He best fits a 1-gap run scheme that lets him play downhill and primarily zone coverage on passing downs. He projects as a early down rotational player to start his career, with the ability to turn into a quality three down starter.