Sam Baker OT
USC
STRENGTHS
Sam has good size to play at the next level.
He has played in a pro style offense and has done a solid
job in pass protection and understands the responsibilities of
his position. Sam
shows stand-out leadership skills and is the type of O-lineman
that will grade out well after every game because he knows his
assignments and carries them out to the best of his abilities.
NEEDS TO IMPROVE
Sam needs to get a lot stronger, move his feet better, fire out
on running plays and learn to stay with his blocks.
He must use better leverage when pass or run blocking.
He must improve his lateral agility.
Sam must improve his quickness out of his stance and he
must show every one that he can play more than one position on
the line of scrimmage.
Right now, Sam is very overrated because he has played LT
for four years in a big program.
TALENT BOARD ROUND 4
For me personally, Sam is a big disappointment!
He has not improved from the first time I saw him play.
He really struggles making his blocks in the running game
and doesn’t stay long enough with his blocks when pass blocking.
Most of the time, he is covered up with a TE when pass
blocking and he still gets beat to the inside.
Usually players like Sam can be moved to a Guard position
or the Center position, but Sam is not very stout against the
run and I’m not sure he is quick enough out of his stance
either. If Sam has
a good work ethic, really wants to play at the next level and
gets drafted by a team that has a really good offensive line
coach who sees excellent potential in Sam, then it is possible
he could make it at the next level.
But because Sam has not improved at all since the first
time I saw him play, I have to think that Sam feels that he is a
finished product ready to start for the team that drafts him.
This could not be further from the truth.
Sam might be able to be a Guard at the next level, but
right now his blocking in the running game is very poor and he
lacks strength and quickness in his upper body when he is pass
protecting. For a
player that has been in a big program and considered to be one
of the better linemen in this draft, I expected him to be
further along.
Maybe I’m being too hard on the kid, but at one time, I really
thought this kid could turn into a hell of a LT.
That just didn’t happen at the college level, so I don’t
expect it to all of a sudden happen at the pro level.
Sam’s talent level is equal to most late round picks in
just about any draft, but I’m sure he will be picked some time
in the first three rounds because he comes from a big time
program that knows how to market its players.
The truth is that Sam, currently, is a dime a dozen
offensive lineman that you can get in the draft in any round.
But what do I know -- I’m just out here doing my own work
and watching film from year to year. |
