Get to know Texas signee Brandon Baker on national signing day
Whether you’re a diehard recruiting fan in need of a refresher or a casual fan in need of only the particulars, this will be the series for you.
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The first national signing day for college football begins December 20 and runs through December 22. This series gives you the chance to familiarize yourself with the next class charged with keeping Texas in a position of national prominence.
To win at a consistently high level means stacking talented class after talented class. The top-five 2024 class does just that following top-five finishes in the 2022 and 2023 classes.
On the first national signing day, Inside Texas will offer profiles of each member of the 2024 signing class. Up next, Brandon Baker.
The Player: Brandon Baker, OT, Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei
The Rating: 97.09 (five-star)
The Ranking: Baker is ranked as the No. 25 overall prospect, the No. 2 offensive tackle, and the No. 2 player in California according to the On3 Industry Ranking. On3 ranks Baker as the No. 44 overall prospect, the No. 7 offensive tackle, and the No. 3 player in California.
The Highlights:
The Recruitment: Baker took June official visits to Ohio State, Texas, and Georgia after unofficial treks to those three plus Nebraska, Oregon, and USC in the spring. He named a top five of Ohio State, Texas, Oregon, Nebraska, and Florida State in early September. Then, he squeezed a visit to Lincoln to see the Cornhuskers in just days before his announcement. In the end, he announced for the Longhorns on September 24 and has been solid since.
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The Projection: Baker looks like the Kelvin Banks of the 2024 class. He has similar dimensions at just under 6-foot-5 and about 300 pounds, great length, and is exceptionally quick. His feet move quickly and allow him to change directions on the move and connect with run defenders at the second level or with pass-rushers trying to get around him. Long term he’d be a left tackle prospect once Banks has moved on. – Ian Boyd
The Reasoning: “I feel like they’re on the up-and up, and the O-line development is like no other honestly. What Coach Flood is doing and what Coach Sarkisian is doing with the offense is special.”
The Relationship: “(Kyle Flood)’s done it down with the Falcons, at Alabama, and I’ve seen what he’s done. 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.”
The Enrollment: Baker will enroll early.
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The Final Word: Texas swung for the fences at offensive tackle in 2024 and found a cornerstone of future offensive lines at a place Sarkisian is extremely familiar with.
