Deandre Baker is a top-notch cover corner. He is strong at staying in phase and in man coverage. He has loose hips which allow him to open up on deep routes. He adds to that good ballskills which will make it harder to throw his way. Baker tackles the catch and he is also strong as an open field tackler.
I do see some weaknesses in Baker’s game. The main one is his instincts and physicality in zone. I think he has some potential to learn to play the zone, but at this point, he is strictly a man cover corner. I would also like to see him be more physical at the line of scrimmage. That lack of physicality carries over to his lack of run support. A specific problem I see in Baker’s game is that he can get caught in a pick play because offensive coordinators know that he won’t be used in zone.
Overall, I see Baker as a mid-first rounder. His ability to play man coverage is a very valuable skill and that will be the reason he gets drafted high. He does have his weaknesses in zone and with physicality that need to be fixed if he wants to be a complete corner.
