Brandon Baker Fits Well In Tennessee's Offense
This weekend forecasts as essential for Tennessee. They are hosting big-time players like safety Boo Carter, offensive tackle Marques Easley, wide receiver Nick Marsh, and more. The most important visitor is offensive tackle Brandon Baker, a California native and the No. 1 tackle in America.
It will be Baker's first trip to Knoxville. He has spent the spring months traveling to various programs and will see many more in the coming week. Baker is on spring break and plans to see multiple programs in the south. Oregon, Nebraska, and USC are the three top contenders, but he's putting a lot of weight on this week.
If the Vols can impress him, they get their foot in the door with one of the best players in the 2024 cycle. Baker would be a natural fit into Tennessee's offense, and his tape out of Mater Dei High School looks eerily similar to former Tennessee offensive tackle Darnell Wright. Wright was an impact starter for years before recently declaring for the NFL Draft; he projects as a first-round pick.
Brandon Baker, 2024 OT
Baker played right tackle as a junior for Mater Dei. He faced premier competition every time he stepped on the field and excelled. There won't be much transition when he arrives on a college campus because Baker knows how to compete and how to prepare. He's also 6-5 and 285 pounds, enough to win on the right side in college.
There's an obvious fit between Baker and Tennessee. When you play tackle at Tennessee, you must be incredibly explosive in your initial set. Baker flashed an ability to pull from a tackle spot, find the second level, and finish the play. He also displayed a kick step that reminded me of when Wright faced off against Alabama edge rusher Will Anderson Jr.
However, that shouldn't be Tennessee's pitch to Baker. The Vols have a system that would allow Baker to play early without risking too many mistakes; he tends to play high, a problem he can get away with in high school. When you have poor leverage, college edge rushers can blow by your inside shoulder, especially in a traditional dropback passing offense. Tennessee designs pocket concepts that would keep those chances to a minimum - Baker would have to win the rep, but the ball is out before tackles can truly lose a rep.
His growth could be similar to Wright's. Evaluators labeled Wright as an "undraftable" prospect after the 2021 season, so he returned to school and took the next step. He's now preparing to potentially become a top-10 draft pick, a standing Baker eventually wants to reach.
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