5-star OT Brandon Baker commits to Texas: 'I feel like they're on the up-and-up'

Had Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei five-star offensive tackle Brandon Baker committed a year ago, he says it almost certainly would’ve been to Oregon.

But changes on the Ducks’ coaching staff, namely offensive line coach Adrian Klemm leaving for the NFL, upended things. Ohio State and Texas took advantage, and by this spring, those were the two top teams in his recruitment.

They jockeyed back and forth over the summer and through the fall. But ultimately the Longhorns have won out, as Baker announced Sunday night for Texas.

“I feel like they’re on the up-and up, and the O-line development is like no other honestly,” he told On3. “What Coach Flood is doing and what Coach Sarkisian is doing with the offense is special.”

Flood was a major factor for Baker

Key in Baker’s decision was the connection with Texas’ coaching staff and in particular Flood. But his development of elite linemen at Alabama, with the Atlanta Falcons and now in Austin pushed them over the top.

“He’s done it down with the Falcons, at Alabama, and I’ve seen what he’s done,” he added. “He’s coached guys like Evan Neal and now Kelvin Banks and a lot of other great offensive linemen. He wants to build the best offensive line in the nation, and he wants me to help them keep building.”

Baker is also excited about the future under Sarkisian, who has Texas off to a 4-0 start this year and ranked in the top five.

“He is a real down-to-earth person, but he has that edge to him,” Baker said. “And people need that little chip on their shoulder, and he carries it everywhere he goes. But he has good energy and is an easy-to-talk-to kind guy. He’s an offensive-minded guy and definitely know what it looks like, and I think he’s preparing Texas to take the next steps.

… They had a strong 2023 class, as well as the 2022 class, so I feel like if we just keep building that up, that’s how you build a great program. And with the coaching staff around us, they have a lot of great resources for the players.”

The Texas brand means something to him

While he was considering each school, Brandon Baker wasn’t just looking at the on-field product. He is making a decision for a lifetime and wanted to set himself up with opportunities after football as well. And he felt that Austin was the best city to do that in.

“Texas is one of the nationwide brands in all of college football — and even beyond college football,” he said. “So I feel like having that under your belt, and having connections in the city of Austin is huge.”

As for what it ultimately came down to as he chose the Longhorns over the Buckeyes, his runner-up school, Baker put it simply:

“The development, the atmosphere and the trajectory of the program.”