The second offer out to a defender since Marcus Freeman took over as defensive coordinator went out to Utah’s Lander Barton, a very impressive athlete who most likely will end up as an outside linebacker.
Grateful to be offered by the University of Notre Dame☘️ @BrianPolian @coachjhemm @NDFootball pic.twitter.com/CshMyjmsLT
— Lander Barton (@BanderLarton) January 15, 2021
Although recruiting coordinator Brian Polian is leading his recruitment, Barton surely fits the mold that Freeman is looking for in his defense.
After reviewing the six-foot-four-inch and 220-pound linebackers film, there isn’t much to complain about. Barton flies around the field, showing his sideline-to-sideline speed, which will undoubtedly translate over to the collegiate level. The speed is shown off again when Barton blitzes off the edge, punishing offensive players and showing active hands when he arrives to ball-carriers. He’s no slouch at picking passes off either, with very good coverage skills. This shows that Barton will most likely be a three-down linebacker when he hits the field in college.
Notre Dame has identified a great prospect as Barton already holds offers from Oregon, Stanford, Washington and others. This is a great offer and I personally hope to see Barton ultimately end up donning the Blue and Gold.