When the New York Giants traded back into the first round in last year’s NFL Draft to select Georgia cornerback DeAndre Baker, many criticized the deal.
The Giants held the 37th pick in Round 2 and forked that over to the Seattle Seahawks along with a fourth round pick (No. 132) and a fifth rounder (No. 142) in exchange for the 30th overall selection, which they used to take Baker.
What did the Giants know — or didn’t know — at the time? Many believe Baker should have been a first rounder, but there were “issues” surrounding him that caused him to drop in the draft. Other scouts simply did not see him as a first round talent.
That being said, Baker was ignored for the first 29 picks — as were all other cornerback in the draft — until the Giants made the head-scratching move. Many believed at the time the Giants could have kept their picks and taken Baker at No. 37.
Now, of course, they wish they steered clear of Baker altogether. The disturbing news that he is under investigation for armed robbery along with another NFL player is rattling the Giants’ cage today as they try to get their arms around what exactly is going on with this young man.
Were there any serious red flags surrounding Baker before the Giants drafted him? There was, but nothing specific except his attitude.
My immediate post-draft thoughts after NYG selected DeAndre Baker in 2019 pic.twitter.com/i0lYyknC1H
— David Syvertsen (@Ourlads_Sy) May 15, 2020
ESPN’s Jordan Raanan wrote the content below last November when Baker was in the throes of a horrendous rookie campaign.
“Two players recently described Baker as a “handful” this season, sources told ESPN. It’s an issue that has become noticeable even to guys on the offensive side of the football.
It’s more than just allowing a completion or committing one of his team-leading seven penalties this season. It’s being able to trust that Baker knows his responsibility on a particular play and won’t commit a mental lapse like he did on a 49-yard Marvin Hall touchdown in Detroit. These types of costly mistakes, when the defensive call has been right but the execution insufficient, have left the defense demoralized far too often.
More than anything, it can be attributed to a consistency issue for a player who entered the draft with questions about his character and had at least two other teams concerned because of his lackadaisical training and questionable attitude.”
The Giants saw some of that last year, but to be fair, Baker’s issue wasn’t just his attitude, but the reaction to the manner in which the Giants used him. One pre-draft scouting report described him as a “pesky press corner who has proven he can thrive against man-to-man challenges in a competitive conference.”
The Giants didn’t use Baker in that fashion. They had him playing 10 yards off the line of scrimmage and he was unsure of his responsibilities most times — something he acknowledged publicly. That led to a lot of frustration on everyone’s part.
As the season wound down, Baker was playing closer to the line and was asked to play more man coverage, which he had mush more success at.
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