Utah will have a lot of familiar faces coming with it as the program makes the move from the Pac-12 Conference to the Big 12 Conference in 2024, including one of the nation’s top defensive prospects for the 2025 NFL Draft.
ESPN’s Jordan Reid put Utah junior linebacker Lander Barton at No. 5 on his list of the top NFL prospects for his position.
Barton, 6-foot-4 and 242 pounds, was named Pac-12 Defensive Freshman of the Year in 2022 with 46 tackles, 8 TFL, 4.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble and 1 fumble recovery.
Through seven games in 2023, Barton was third on the team with 34 tackles, 2 interceptions and 1 forced fumble before suffering a season-ending injury.
Two of Barton’s older brothers are NFL players and former Utah stars.
Jackson Barton is an offensive tackle for the Arizona Cardinals and won a Super Bowl with the Kansas City Chiefs following the 2019 season. Another older brother, Cody Barton, is a linebacker for the Denver Broncos in his sixth NFL season.