When Budda Baker visits the Oregon campus, his host ought to be De’Anthony Thomas.
The two should instantly like each other, because they’re both fast, humble, family-oriented playmakers with a rare gift for playing football.
X-Man: Army All-American Budda Baker is a 5-9, 176-lb. safety/receiver/running back for the Bellevue Wolverines, a school that is 40-0 in his three years on the varsity, with five straight 3A state titles and 10 of the last 12.
In the state championship game his sophomore year, the hard-hitting defensive back returned a kickoff 89 yards for a touchdown.
Junior year, Baker ran for 71 yards and one td, scored on a 61-yard punt return and intercepted a pass in a 35-3 victory over Eastside Catholic.
Pop quiz: who does he sound like in this post-game interview with Dirk Knudsen of northwestprepreport.com?
The Bellvue star has his own style and his own skills, and he’s said on numerous occasions he prefers to play defense because he likes to hit, but the humility and genuineness, the attitude and approach, make him a dead ringer for The Black Momba.
So do his on-field highlights:
Baker ran a 4.51 40 at The Opening and he has a top time of 10.77 in the 100 meters. He plays with tremendous recognition and aggressiveness. He’s a fierce tackler and a fabulous teammate, a guy who inspires others with his play and enthusiasm, a kid who flips the ball to an official and finds the guy who made the big block and greets him with a slap on the helmet.
His high school coach Butch Goncharoff told T.J. CotterillTacoma News-Tribune,
“When you see his explosion, his change of direction, the way he makes guys miss, then you see him on the other side of the field running guys down from free safety at the line of scrimmage – that’s not coaching. I’d love to sit here and tell you we’ve done a great job coaching the kid, but we haven’t. That is all instincts and God-given talent.
“But the thing is, he also has the work ethic to go with it. I think that is what makes him really, really special.”
The Seattle-area speedster has offers from every college in the PAC-12 and 30 D-1 programs nationwide, including Notre Dame and Ohio State. Alabama has shown interest. Baker says his top three are Oregon, Washington and UCLA. He intends to take all five of his visits and will likely announce his verbal commitment at the Army All-American Game in January.
His mother is seriously ill so he’s likely to stay closer to home, but does plan a visit to South Bend. He told espn.com that the opportunity to play right away and compete for championships are more important than facilities.
A leader and a winner with great character and work ethic, Baker is the one recruit the Ducks most need to land in the 2014 class. He’s a phenomenal combination of attitude and ability, a perfect fit for the philosophy and style of play at Oregon.
At The Opening he told oregonlive.com the UO coaches want him to play slotback, but his heart is set on safety. He’s smaller but tackles with great fundamentals and has a 35-inch vertical leap to go with his speed. Two of his goals is to reach 180 lbs. through dedicated work in the weight room, and run a 10.5 100 in his senior year of track. Plus, win a 6th straight State Championship as a Bellvue Wolverine.
Scouting notes from the video:
Physical, a hard hitter. excellent tackler who delivers a blow, wraps up with good fundamentals.
Explosive with great body control, cuts smoothly and thinks big play every play.
Fearless and aggressive. A missle on the safety blitz. Plays way bigger than his size.
Takes a ball carrier to the ground and reads the quarterback’s eyes. Sees the flow of a play and reacts immediately. Dynamic with the ball in his hands but would make the biggest impact on defense.
Excellent as the force man on wide plays. Goes in low and cuts the runner down. His superb instincts allow him to play at full speed with confidence.
Dangerous punt returner who takes the ball in smoothly and weaves through coverage. Great vision, crisp cuts, gets upfield rather than dancing around. Has that sudden, fluid, dangerous quality of DAT and Kenjon Barner, similar in physique and style, a smaller, well-built athlete with a wiry, sculpted body.
Good natural strength, flexibility. Will be tough and durable. Finishes a run with a blow, another small indicator his heart is on defense.
Terrific motor and desire–aggressive in pursuit and won’t give up on a play.
Electric with the ball in his hands, an exciting runner with a flair and great vision, anticipation. Turns on the jets in a hurry, seizes an opportunity.
Good concentration on a long pass he has to reach for with a defender draped over him. A finisher.
Nice humility. Tosses the ball to an official. A leader. Enthusiastic with teammates, plays with a lot of heart. Plays like a kid who really enjoys the game.
Tracks the ball really well as a deep safety and covers a LOT of ground. A ball hawk who makes big plays, causes fumbles and makes interceptions, always looking to make things happen.
Elusive and quick, taking a little screen pass for positive yards. Slips a tackle, stop/start, drive forward. Dangerous even on a routine play, good effort.
Man I love the way he tackles. Really good fundamentals. Cuts guys down right at the knees, clean, legal and lethal. Coaches have him in a deep safety 15 yards off the ball but he recognizes and reacts in a hurry.
Another punt return for a td, electric. Handles the ball beautifully, shakes two tackles and just zips upfield.
ANOTHER kick return. Why would anyone kick him the ball? Fights off a flagrant facemask at the ten and spins into the end zone. Shows toughness and persistence.
His interviews and playing highlights mark Baker as a great fit for the Ducks. He’s fast with a terrific attitude. He makes plays and competes with incredible determination. He has character and focus. The top prospect in the Northwest, and one of the best safeties in the country. The kind of recruit that makes a class and shapes a team.
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