A native Utahn and four year letterman at the U, Cody Barton looks to take his homegrown talents to the next level. The Utes leading tackler in 2018, Barton led the team in tackles in his All-Pac-12 senior season. Next, Cody works out for NFL scouts at the 2019 Combine.
You can take a deep dive into Barton’s Utah days here per Utah Athletics.
Barton spent four full seasons on The Hill, playing 50 games and starting in 23 of them. He accumulated 235 tackles, 24.5TFL and nine sacks as a Ute.
2018 Recap: Honorable mention All-Pac-12 … started all 14 games at middle linebacker … led Utah with 116 tackles … 10th in the Pac-12 in tackles per game (8.3) … 10.5 TFL (4.0 sacks) tied for 11th in the Pac-12 … six pass breakups … 12 tackles vs. Washington in the Pac-12 Championship game … tied for the team lead with 12 tackles against Northern Illinois and Arizona State … 11 tackles (3.0 TFL, 1.0 sack) and forced a fumble against Oregon … tied for the team lead with 11 tackles (0.5 TFL) vs. Washington … eight tackles included an assisted sack against Northwestern in the Holiday Bowl … eight tackles with 2.5 TFL (1.0 sack) at Colorado … eight tackles (1.0 TFL) and a pass breakup vs. Stanford … eight tackles (1.0 sack) and a pass breakup against Arizona … eight tackles and a pass breakup vs. USC … led Utah against UCLA with seven tackles, an interception and a pass breakup.
With measurements stacking up to NFL LB’s and the tape to boot, Barton can ensure he’s selected on draft day with a good showing at the combine. He’s off to a good start after an impressive 30 reps on the 225lb bench press, good enough for third among linebackers. Barton packs a punch, punishing ballcarriers at the line-of-scrimmage and plugging up holes in the middle. His ability to cover, though, is what may make him stick on an NFL roster.
STRENGTHS
- Frame: A wide-shouldered, boxy frame is what scouts look for. They’ll hope he thickens up his lower body in the future.
- Versatility: With experience as on-line and off-ball backer, he’s value soars when you look at the variety of things he does well.
- Point-of-contact: Whether plugging holes for his comrades or meeting ballcarriers on the sideline, Barton packs a punch at all levels. He’s a brute.
- Play-recognition: A religious film-watcher, Barton is able to quickly diagnose and react to plays. A good 40-time would really give scouts some confidence in his ceiling.
WEAKNESSES
- Block-Shedding: Although physical and fast, Barton is often held in check once larger O-Lineman get a hold on him.
- Lateral Quickness: Has decent enough straight-line speed, but by NFL standards, isn’t real quick to change direction and move laterally.
A 5.15 prospect rating says that it’s pretty likely that Barton will be selected on draft day. A good showing at the combine could mean the difference between late and middle rounds, though. Barton takes part in on-field workouts Sunday on the NFL Network.
