Brandon Baker Visiting Knoxville, Staff Ready For Essential Pitch
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The Vols added quarterback Jake Merklinger to their 2024 class on Thursday. Merklinger is their sixth commit in the class and the third on offense. Tennessee also has pledges from tight end Jonathan Echols and wide receiver JJ Harrell, encompassing one of the best offensive cores in the cycle.
The high-flying aerial attacks are always fun to speculate about, but none can succeed without strong offensive line play up front. It's no coincidence that the weekend after Merklinger commits, the staff is hosting three priority offensive linemen on unofficial visits. One of those three is blue-chip offensive tackle Brandon Baker, a California resident taking recruiting by storm.
Baker plays his high school football for Mater Dei, a premier stomping ground for future NFL prospects. They have produced Bryce Young, Matt Leinhart, Matt Barkley, and Amon-Ra St. Brown. Baker is the latest five-star to come through the Santa Ana powerhouse and is garnering major west-coast interest.
Brandon Baker, 2024 OT
He's added eight offers since his junior season concluded, many of which were from major programs. In recent months, Baker visited Washington, Colorado, Miami, Ohio State, Nebraska, Oregon, and USC twice. His visit with the Cornhuskers went extremely well; newly minted head coach Matt Rhule made a strong impression, and they made major ground up. Oregon and USC are also two top contenders for his services.
Tennessee gets him this weekend, and the Vols must make a strong impression. It will be his first time in Knoxville, and he will see it alongside fellow tackles Daniel Calhoun and Marques Easley. Baker doesn't typically travel to the south, meaning it may be the Vols' sole opportunity to impress him. Getting another top tackle after Darnell Wright left the program would be a major win for the coaching staff.
Head coach Josh Heupel has done a strong job recruiting during his short tenure with the Volunteers. He managed to land California native Nico Iamaleava in his first full recruiting class, a feat that didn't come easy. He hopes to replicate that this weekend in an essential visit for the outlook of Tennessee's 2024 class.
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