No. 6 Ranked College Football RB Prospect Snubs Two Major SEC Programs

Three blue chip college football programs in the Lone Star State were in the mix for a local running back prospect coming out of high school, and now after revealing his commitment, two of them are headed back to the drawing board at the position.

Four-star DeSoto (Tex.) running back SaRod Baker has made his recruiting decision official, landing with a recent Power Four conference champion and spurning two SEC contenders that were hoping to bring him onside.

Where is Baker going?

No. 6 College Football RB Prospect Snubs Two Major SEC Programs — Nathan Giese/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The running back revealed his intention to play for Texas Tech in an announcement on Monday, further entrenching the reigning Big 12 champions among the highest placed teams in the national recruiting rankings.

Baker became the eighth pledge to pick the Red Raiders, who boast an elite group of defensive prospects at the top of their class, including consensus No. 1 defensive lineman Jalen Brewster and No. 3 edge rusher Anthony Sweeney.

No. 7 wide receiver Benny Easter, Jr. and No. 4 quarterback Kavian Bryant are Texas Tech’s highest ranked offensive prospects alongside Baker in 2027.

Texas Tech sits in the No. 2 position of the 2027 team recruiting rankings, according to an industry weighted average of the national services.

Who else was involved?

A pair of other Lone Star schools in the SEC were in the mix for Baker before his commitment.

Texas was a relatively late entrant in the running back’s process, offering him in December of 2025, and increasing their focus on him as a priority target especially after his team’s playoff run to end last season.

No. 2 wide receiver Easton Royal remains the top offensive commit for the Longhorns, but Steve Sarkisian and his staff are yet to secure a running back commitment in 2027.

Also in the mix was Texas A&M, the current No. 1 recruiting class in the country that got involved with Baker earlier than the Longhorns.

Aggies staff maintained regular contact with the running back throughout and they stayed firmly in his top group of schools prior to his Red Raider pledge.

How he stands as a prospect

Baker looks like a compact, explosive running back with a low center of gravity, thriving in zone concepts, and shows patience to sit behind blockers before making his move.

The tailback accelerates quickly through creases and has consistently generated yards after contact, while his lateral agility allows him to evade would-be first contact in tighter running lanes, and his field vision stands out when working between tackles.

Baker, considered the No. 6 running back in the nation according to an average of the recruiting services, is also a capable receiver out of the backfield and can add real value on passing downs, projecting as a reliable, high volume back with three down potential at the Power Four level.

Texas Tech will have a chance to develop that potential as it looks to remain in College Football Playoff contention in the seasons to come.

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