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SALT LAKE CITY — There was no pressure or expectation for Lander Barton to commit to the University of Utah.
Sure, he'd be the only person in his family to not attend the university where the Barton name is synonymous with success if he chose not to commit, but it was his choice to make.
And as a four-star recruit out of Brighton High who was considered the No. 2 overall prospect to come out of the state of Utah in the 2022 recruiting class, Barton certainly had a long list of good options available to him.
Michigan. Texas. Oregon. And several other Power Five programs across the country.
But in the end, it was his hometown school that won out; and it was his sister, Dani Drews, the all-time leader in career kills with the volleyball program, who announced the commitment on Instagram for him. It was as if it were a symbolic passing of the torch type gesture.
The youngest Barton now gets the opportunity to etch his name into the school's history as potentially the next best linebacker to come through the program. It's big shoes to fill, but he's ready for the challenge. But he has high expectations for himself, even as a freshman looking to crack the two-deep roster.
If his family name wasn't enough of a driving factor, he's looking to replace arguably the best linebacker to ever play for Utah in Devin Lloyd, who awaits an opportunity this month to potentially hear his name called in the first round of the NFL draft and become the highest-ever drafted linebacker in program history.
Was it mentioned that Barton has some big shoes to fill?
"I mean, the bar is set at the highest possible level," Barton said, speaking about what's at stake for him as he acclimates to Division I football. "So the competition is raised; I gotta rise above that in order to win that spot."
Fortunately for Barton, he's been training for this opportunity for as long as he can remember. Last year, Barton trained with Lloyd, as well as his brother Cody Barton, who currently plays linebacker for the Seattle Seahawks and was considered one of the best linebackers to come through Utah under Kyle Whittingham's tenure as head coach.
The youngest Barton has had a vast pool of players ready and willing to help him reach the highest level of his game — to say nothing of the Utah coaching staff that is considered one of the best in the country at developing talent. It's something Barton said he doesn't take lightly.
"Those are the best experiences," Barton said. "I mean, I can just sit there and watch and have a good time because you just learn so much from their stance, to their first step they're moving to their technique. So being able to join them in workouts, it's great because I just, I take in so much information. I'm able to — if it's a 30-minute thing, I'm able to get better just in 30 minutes."
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A small ceremony where he could announce his collegiate destination by donning a hat and simply declaring a commitment to a school wasn't going to do.And if Barton needs extra guidance, he's got two brothers currently in the NFL — one, in particular, that plays his same position and has always had to work harder to showcase his talent and skill as an unheralded player.
"Cody had to be the hardest worker in the room on the entire team in order to get to the spot where he was," Barton said. "And so I've spent a lot of time working out with him in the offseason, and he's really showed me how to become the hardest worker. I feel like that's good for me, because, I mean, I could be laid back just because, hey, I had a bunch of offers — I should be the man. But no, I believe in just putting your head down and doing the work and just letting it show.
"It's extremely valuable. I mean, every day after practice, after workouts, after I watch film, I call him up and we'll talk for five minutes or maybe an hour, talk about whatever. And then if I have any questions related to football, I'll ask him because football is essentially the same thing anywhere you are, it just might have different terminology. So I mean, it's a great tool I have at my advantage to just pick his brain anytime I really need to."
All of that has led to Barton getting an early nod as one of the standout players at the position just three weeks into spring camp. It's not yet enough for Barton to relax and let his foot off the gas pedal, but it's a sign of good to come as he prepares to enter offseason workouts and a grueling fall camp where he'll be truly tested on his ability to perform at a high level.
Can he make an impact in his first season?
Right now, it's about Barton familiarizing himself with the system and eliminating mistakes — he admitted he struggled in the first week of spring camp to tackle like he thought he could coming into the program. But that will come as he understands his assignments and they become second nature, he added.
"By the end of spring, I just want to be able to get the defense down to just — I know it like the back of my hand and when I'm out there playing I can just react fast, not even think about anything," he said. "That's really my overall goal. Right now, I'm out there trying to think about so much things, I'm a little bit slow on my reaction. So I just want to be able to play really fast and correct."
It's a self awareness to his game that will suit him well in the offseason and coming months. And while the shoes are big to fill, Barton has accepted the offer without any hesitation.
