For the second straight year, Utah has the Pac-12 Freshman Defensive Player of the Year.
This time, it was linebacker Lander Barton, the former Brighton High star who earned the honor when the Pac-12 football all-conference team was announced Tuesday.
Barton has played in all 13 games so far this year, starting three, and led all true freshmen on the team with 42 tackles. His five tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks ranked third and second, respectively, among Pac-12 freshmen.
Barton, who’s also been named a College Football Network Freshman All-American, is coming off his most impressive game of the year. In Utah’s 47-24 win over USC in the Pac-12 championship game, he had six tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss, a fumble recovery and a pass breakup.
Twelve Utes landed on the Pac-12 all-conference team — four first-teamers, two second-teamers and six more named honorable mention.
That includes second-teamer Junior Tafuna, last year’s Pac-12 Freshman Defensive Player of the Year.
It’s the fifth straight year that Utah has had four or more players on the all-conference first team.
Eight of Utah’s all-conference honorees are sophomores.
Utah players on the Pac-12 all-conference team
First team
- Dalton Kincaid, senior tight end.
- Braeden Daniels, junior offensive line.
- Sataoa Laumea, sophomore offensive line.
- Clark Phillips III, sophomore cornerback.
Second team
- Junior Tafuna, sophomore defensive tackle.
- Karene Reid, sophomore linebacker.
Honorable mention
- Cam Rising, junior quarterback.
- Devaughn Vele, sophomore wide receiver.
- Keaton Bills, sophomore offensive line.
- Jonah Elliss, sophomore defensive end.
- Cole Bishop, sophomore safety.
- R.J. Hubert, senior safety.