Over the next couple months, we are going to be taking a look at hundreds of draft prospects leading up into the 2019 NFL draft. With the Chargers having needs at various positions, we will do our best to evaluate the players that we feel fit the team precisely.
Today, we are taking a look at Georgia cornerback Deandre Baker.
Honors and Awards
- 2018 Jim Thorpe Award Winner
- 2018 Associated Press All-America First Team
- 2018 ESPN.com All-America Team
- 2018 American Football Coaches Assn. All-America First Team
- 2018 SI.com All-America First Team
- 2018 Walter Camp All-America First Team
- 2018 Football Writers Assn. of America All-America Second Team
- 2018 Associated Press & Coaches’ All-SEC First Team
Statistics
Games Watched
- Mississippi State (2017)
- Tennessee (2017)
- Kentucky (2018)
- LSU (2018)
- South Carolina (2018)
Strengths
- Prefers press-man, press-bail coverage to zone assignments. Loves to jam receivers at the line of scrimmage in press and can minimize receivers’ space with active hands.
- Quick-footed in his transition to match receivers off the line of scrimmage.
- Uses his body to cut off routes, understanding how to leverage the field and sideline when trailing.
- Great adjustments on the ball in flight to aggressively locate and attack. Shows to wants the football more than receivers.
- Loves to keep an eye on the quarterback and jump short routes. Elite instincts allow him to interpret routes and scheme to deflect passes and contest almost every target.
- Hard-nosed physical cornerback, with football intelligence and great understanding of technical nuances.
- 2018 Jim Thorpe winner
Weaknesses
- Shorter than ideal and his lack of length and size will show up at times, especially against good-sized targets.
- Lacks the twitchy acceleration to recover from a step behind. Hip tightness is evident, therefore he lacks long speed.
- Needs to develop his functional strength to be a sound run defender.
- Not as comfortable in off-coverage.
Summary
Baker only got better throughout his collegiate career as the years went by. He is a fiery player and doesn’t back down on the football field, but his average athleticism and speed shows at times. Although he always appears aware of what is going on, Baker’s lack of change of direction due to hip tightness and long speed hinders his ability to make plays on the ball over the top. Overall, Baker lacks ideal height, length and long speed for the position, but his ability in press, toughness and reactive quickness should make him one of the first corners off the board.
Chargers Fit
With there possibly being a need at the No. 2 CB spot, Baker is a nice option. At Georgia, he played a similar role to defensive coordinator’s Gus Bradley’s Cover 3 defense. He didn’t play as much zone for the Bulldogs, but his elite processing skills translate well. Baker would be an instant contributor as either an inside or outside corner who can play both press and zone coverage. It’s not a pressing need for Los Angeles, but one that needs an upgrade more than people realize.
