2025 RB Justin Baker commits to Tennessee: 'There is nothing like gameday at Neyland'

Buford (Ga.) 2025 running back Justin Baker has been offered by over 20 programs. The three-star finished his sophomore year with schools like Georgia and Michigan on top of his list. Tennessee was a program running about third or fourth. He took a visit to Knoxville in July, the Vols made their move and the race was tight heading his into his junior season.

The 5-foot-9, 200-pounder spent a couple of Saturdays inside Neyland Stadium this fall, and after that visit for the South Carolina game, Baker knew he wanted to play there.

“About a week after the South Carolina game, I made my decision,” Baker told On3. “It happened pretty quickly with Tennessee. They came on strong recruiting me in the spring, then the visit in July and after a couple of games, I just felt it.

“The atmosphere, the way they recruited me, the way the team plays and the people at Tennessee helped me make my decision.”

Baker is the third commitment for Tennessee in the 2025 class.

Baker is excited about the future as a Vol

Tennessee was on the verge of making the College Football Playoffs last season. Since Josh Heupel took over, there has been a change in Knoxville and Baker couldn’t be more excited about it.

“You can see a big difference in how the team plays from before Heupel got there to now,” Baker said. “The team is different. Coach Heupel has come in, changed the culture and it is different up there now.

“Coach Heupel knows what he is doing. He runs a great offense, the team plays fast and I think a big thing is how the players love him and he loves his players. Players want to play for a good coach, a god leader, and Coach Heupel is that. The guys want to play for him and that has helped change things at Tennessee. He will have Tennessee playing for a national title soon.”

Heupel is a very hands-on head coach when it comes to recruiting too. He was involved with Baker, and that meant a lot to him, but it was running backs coach Jerry Mack who led the way.

“I have had some good talks with Coach Mack. He is a great coach, he knows how to coach running backs and I like how he breaks things down. We have a great relationship and he was part of my decision.”

The Vols came from behind for land Baker

When Baker made his decision, he had around 21 offers. His recruitment started early. Baker was an FBU All-American, he was on different radars coming out of middle school and numerous schools jumped on him before Tennessee.

The Vols came in with an offer in January. Over a dozen schools had already offered Baker. Tennessee started off behind many schools, then when Baker cut his list to six schools, the Vols barely made the cut. Georgia, Michigan and South Carolina were ahead of them. NC State may have been running fourth too.

That visit in July changed things.

“I left that visit thinking I could see myself there,” Baker said. “What Tennessee showed me about the offense, the running game and how I could showcase my skills in it really changed things for me. It was that visit that really made me think more about Tennessee.”

From that point, Tennessee out-recruited the Bulldogs, Wolverines, Wolfpack and Gamecocks. Their pursuit, their play on the field and the connections pushed the Vols from the bottom to the top of Baker’s list.

“Tennessee made it clear to me over the last couple of months that I was a priority for them. Things happened fast, Tennessee came on strong and that is where I want to go.

“After the Austin-Peay game, I felt good. Then I went back for the South Carolina game. I went home, thought about it, talked it over with my parents and made my decision.”

Now Baker thinks about the environment he will get to play in.

“Knoxville is a nice city. It is quiet when it needs to be. It is bumpin’ when it needs to be. Tennessee has great fans and there is nothing like game-day at Neyland.”