The last of the Georgia football players participating in the 2019 NFL Combine took the field on Monday for drill work. Former Georgia cornerback Deandre Baker tested in front of scouts and teams in Indianapolis.
Baker ran officially ran a 4.52 40-yard dash. Of the eight Georgia players who worked out at the combine, only Mecole Hardman ran a faster time.
Baker’s 4.53 isn’t a spectacular time, but Baker’s game isn’t predicated on athleticism and speed. He was never going to come out and run a 4.35 40-yard dash. And yet, Baker still figures to be taken in the first round of the upcoming NFL draft.
As a senior, Baker took him the Jim Thorpe Award, which goes to the nation’s top defensive back. Baker was a star at Georgia in his final two seasons, as he finished with five interceptions over the two-year span and did not surrender a single touchdown to an opposing player.
Related: Georgia CB Deandre Baker explains why he’s ‘fearless on the field’
Baker also answered questions on Sunday. In the course of his interview, he revealed why he ended up sitting out of Georgia’s bowl game against Texas.
“A few weeks before the game I decided not to play after talking to my family,” Baker said. “My heart wanted to play, but I had to make a business decision.
“It was hard to watch my team, and I wanted to be out there with them, but they understood. But knowing I wasn’t able to be out there with them, it was hurting me.”
Baker is one of three cornerbacks expected to go in the first round of the draft, along with LSU’s Greedy Williams and Washington’s Byron Murphy. Murphy ran a 4.55, while Williams posted a 4.37. Last year, Georgia linebacker Roquan Smith was taken with the No. 8 overall pick in the NFL draft.
The next step for Baker will be his pro day, which is on March 20. The event will take place in Athens, and it will allow teams to come view Baker, and his Georgia teammates, up close. The 2019 NFL Draft is set for April 25-27 and will be held in Nashville, Tenn.
Georgia football CB Deandre Baker
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