Utah Utes linebacker Lander Barton (8) was named to the Butkus Award watch list ahead of the 2025 regular season. Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Utah Utes star selected as preseason nominee for top linebacker in college football award

Originally posted on Utah Utes on SI | By Cole Forsman | Last updated Jul 30, 2025 3:31 PM ET

Members of the Utah football program continued to reel in preseason accolades while the team's fall camp kicked off from Salt Lake City on Wednesday.

Lander Barton became the latest Utes player to receive national recognition ahead of the 2025 campaign, as the senior linebacker was named to the watch list for the Butkus Award on Wednesday, according to the Butkus Foundation.

It's the second consecutive preseason in which Barton has been nominated for the Butkus Award, an annual honor that recognizes the top linebacker in college football, and marks the fourth straight year that a player from Utah has made the preliminary list for the prestigious trophy.

Barton, who also made the 2024 watch list alongside Karene Reid, is poised to lead the Utes' defense into the 2025 campaign as one of the key veterans featured in their front seven. Last season, he started all 12 games and recorded a team-best 72 tackles to go along with two interceptions and one fumble recovery. His 6.0 tackles per game ranked No. 13 among Big 12 linebackers.

Barton became the fourth Utes player to be named to a watch list for a national award ahead of the 2025 season, joining quarterback Devon Dampier (Maxwell Award) and offensive linemen Spencer Fano and Caleb Lomu (Outland Trophy).

Butkus Award semifinalists will be announced on Nov. 4. After the finalists are revealed on Nov. 25, the winner will be decided by Dec. 10.