Jerome Baker recruit scouting report: Versatile prospect

Jerome Baker is a talented linebacker and running back.

Jerome Baker is one of the top athletes in the class of 2015 and has a multitude of top-tier programs pursuing him as a recruit.

Baker attends Cleveland (Ohio) Benedictine High School, and is considered one of the top prospects in the Midwest. He can play multiple positions, including running back and outside linebacker, and is considered an athlete at the next level.

Baker is listed at 6'1 and weighs in at 205 pounds. He is considered a four-star recruit by 247Sports, Rivals, Scout and ESPN, giving him a composite four-star rating (aggregating from each of the four major recruiting services' rankings). The 247Sports Composite considers Baker the 42nd-best player in the country, ranking him as the fourth-best athlete in the class of 2015 and the second-best player in the state of Ohio.

The rising senior has offers from Ohio State, Penn State, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Michigan State and Tennessee, among others.

Baker's tremendous athleticism shows up at both positions, and he is a bit more athletic than you might think given his thick build.

At linebacker ...

Baker is a physical run defender, and can pick his way through traffic well to get to the ball carrier. He seems to understand when to pull the pin and get to the ball. I'd like to see Baker take on blocks better or more often, and I do wonder how much more size he can add to accomplish that.

Baker is a natural instinctive player in zone coverage, and his experience catching the football on offense shows up on defense, as he comes up with a number of interceptions.

Baker is the ideal WILL in a 4-3 defense. He'll be able to run and make tackles without having to take on too many blocks.

As a running back ...

Baker is also an instinctive player on offense. He is explosive and gets to his top speed rather quickly. Baker is able to avoid tacklers like he avoids blockers when playing linebacker.

Ultimately, I think Baker projects as a very good player at the BCS level. I do wonder how much size he can put on his frame, and whether that will limit his ultimate ceiling.

Baker

Note: Recruits commit and decommit throughout the process. No effort is made to note commitments or decommitments in these scouting reports. All we note is claimed offers at the time of evaluation.

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