2024 Recruiting - Football

Analysis (By Daniel Seahorn):

Brandon Baker is the consensus top-ranked offensive tackle prospect in the country, and when you put on the film and watch him work it is very clear right away why services across the board are high on him. He possesses good measurables at his listed 6’5, 285 pounds, and has good length in his arms that will allow him to stick at tackle long term. The best way to describe Baker is that he is boringly good. Plays with good pad level and shows good knee bend when he is locked up on a defender. Shows good lateral quickness and agility as a run blocker and in pass protection. Shows the ability to mentally process and handle defenders that are stunting post-snap. Proficient as a zone run blocker both on the front side and backside. Shows the ability to be able to execute reach blocks to set the edge and is able to execute cut-off blocks on the back side that open up cut lanes for the back. Baker shows very good play strength on film and is consistently able to displace defenders from the LOS as a drive blocker. He does a good job of climbing to the second level of the defense and getting locked up with defenders coming off combo blocks. Baker is always looking to finish his blocks and possesses a nasty demeanor that you love to see. He is going to block you through the echo of the whistle. Baker is very nimble and possesses good feet for his size. He is very effective as a puller and is able to process on the move in space. Baker is already a proficient pass-blocker at this stage in his development. He shows good patience in his kick step and doesn’t sink too deep into the pocket. He shows good timing with his punch and delivers a stiff blow to defenders that stops them in their tracks. Shows the ability to process games from the defense and stay in sync with the rest of the protection so they are able to pass off defenders executing twists and stunts. He shows that you don’t have to be passive in pass protection. Just like in the run game, he is looking for a chance to bury you if the opportunity presents itself.

I said at the top of this eval, Baker is boringly good. He’s a high-level talent and it is clear on tape why recruiting services hold him in high regard as a prospect. It should surprise nobody if he makes his way to the field early in his career once he transitions to the collegiate level.
 
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well if he is not a 5 star he is close to it.
As long as he has a mean streak and is intelligent I'm good. plus he has room to grow and get bigger.
The quoted article above says Baker is the consensus #1 OT recruit in the country. I'm not worried about whether armchair internet analysts give him 4 or 5 stars. He's the consensus best OT in the nation.

:ut::ut::ut::ut:
 
Can't beleive this is even being brought up.
Rivals was once the know all end all in their HS football ratings. Not so much anymore. ESPN is just a joke now.
247 and On3 are the standard bears now. They both have Baker as a 5*.

Dozens of mods across the nation have him as the #1 OT in the nation. More importantly to me is that he was coach Flood's number 1 want and he got him. And just as important is we keep the Mater Dei pipeline going and their class next year is going to be insane. And they do love them some Sark and their social media is going bonkers.
 
Analysis (By Daniel Seahorn):

Brandon Baker is the consensus top-ranked offensive tackle prospect in the country, and when you put on the film and watch him work it is very clear right away why services across the board are high on him. He possesses good measurables at his listed 6’5, 285 pounds, and has good length in his arms that will allow him to stick at tackle long term. The best way to describe Baker is that he is boringly good. Plays with good pad level and shows good knee bend when he is locked up on a defender. Shows good lateral quickness and agility as a run blocker and in pass protection. Shows the ability to mentally process and handle defenders that are stunting post-snap. Proficient as a zone run blocker both on the front side and backside. Shows the ability to be able to execute reach blocks to set the edge and is able to execute cut-off blocks on the back side that open up cut lanes for the back. Baker shows very good play strength on film and is consistently able to displace defenders from the LOS as a drive blocker. He does a good job of climbing to the second level of the defense and getting locked up with defenders coming off combo blocks. Baker is always looking to finish his blocks and possesses a nasty demeanor that you love to see. He is going to block you through the echo of the whistle. Baker is very nimble and possesses good feet for his size. He is very effective as a puller and is able to process on the move in space. Baker is already a proficient pass-blocker at this stage in his development. He shows good patience in his kick step and doesn’t sink too deep into the pocket. He shows good timing with his punch and delivers a stiff blow to defenders that stops them in their tracks. Shows the ability to process games from the defense and stay in sync with the rest of the protection so they are able to pass off defenders executing twists and stunts. He shows that you don’t have to be passive in pass protection. Just like in the run game, he is looking for a chance to bury you if the opportunity presents itself.

I said at the top of this eval, Baker is boringly good. He’s a high-level talent and it is clear on tape why recruiting services hold him in high regard as a prospect. It should surprise nobody if he makes his way to the field early in his career once he transitions to the collegiate level.
Boringly good is a good description of Banks as well. More of these please for OT. I guess you want the hot headed players for IOL.
 
Stars look nice, but what impresses me is # of offers & from whom. Baker has 29 offers from the likes of Bama, Uga, Michigan, tOSU, SC, Washington, etc.
 
Boringly good is a good description of Banks as well. More of these please for OT. I guess you want the hot headed players for IOL.
Exactly. Banks is by far the most consistent of the OL. I want the same mean/nasty/downfield blocking OL we had in 2005. We are not there by light years ahead of the last 13 years. All it took was money. Saw a stat last night on NIL and Texas has accounted for over 13M in NIL in the last 2 years. Not sure if thats all encompassing but its a lot of money. Wish it would be shared evenly across all teams as its a team game. As long as we are legal, keep doing it. That probably has spread talent out into the NCAA more than anything else.
 
From IT this morning...

"Quick reminder: We're going to have an unforeseeable storyline or two when it comes to recruiting. The staff has been aggressive to re-engage with players and in other cases players have re-engaged with the staff. A couple are highly rated. One has been viewed as a lost cause.

We have to tread lightly on names so as not to alert the teams they're committed to.

Just don't think recruiting is going to go according to formula. There will be some positive developments if the team keeps winning.

Right now the staff is gaining a lot of attention."
 
well if he is not a 5 star he is close to it.
As long as he has a mean streak and is intelligent I'm good. plus he has room to grow and get bigger.
I was not agreeing with Rivals, just stating a fact. I rely on 247 for the more accurate rating
 
From IT this morning...

"Quick reminder: We're going to have an unforeseeable storyline or two when it comes to recruiting. The staff has been aggressive to re-engage with players and in other cases players have re-engaged with the staff. A couple are highly rated. One has been viewed as a lost cause.

We have to tread lightly on names so as not to alert the teams they're committed to.

Just don't think recruiting is going to go according to formula. There will be some positive developments if the team keeps winning.

Right now the staff is gaining a lot of attention."
Lost cause = Micah Hudson is my guess.
 
Im thinking Bussey. Feeling is Hudson folded under heavy family pressure. The staff will not stop pursuing until signing day.
Maybe Weston? He was going to visit then canceled when word got out. Maybe he’s still trying to get a visit in under the radar.
 
We have the best O-line we've had in a long time. We are continuing to recruit linemen at a high level. I know there were a number of years where we just couldn't get the recruits and the offensive performance suffered. So, just wondering, when was the last series of recruiting years where we were able to bring in this level of top o-line recruits on a consistent basis? 2002-2004?
 
as does Rivals
If a player is the consensus top-rated player at his position, as Brandon Baker apparently is at Tackle, how can he not be rated as a 5-Star player?? I realize Stars don’t guarantee success, but still, for ratings purposes, the top player at any position is the top player at that position. So, if he is not a 5-Star, there must be no 5-Star Tackles. Seems odd…
 
If a player is the consensus top-rated player at his position, as Brandon Baker apparently is at Tackle, how can he not be rated as a 5-Star player?? I realize Stars don’t guarantee success, but still, for ratings purposes, the top player at any position is the top player at that position. So, if he is not a 5-Star, there must be no 5-Star Tackles. Seems odd…
Some positions in a given year only have high 4*. This has happened before at RB and safety if I recall.
 
Another site shares that Wingo is no longert visiting Colorado...its looking really good for the good guys.
 

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