The 2021 Rice Football Recruiting class keeps getting bigger, this time adding linebacker Desmyn Baker from the JUCO ranks.
The first day of the Early Signing Period is going to end with a bang as the 2021 Rice Football Recruiting class continues to pick up steam. The Owls have added a transfer to their ranks. Junior college linebacker Desmyn Baker has committed to the Owls.
Over the past few months, Baker has garnered offers from Deion Sanders at Jackson State, Central Arkansas and now Rice. He moved quickly once the offer came in from the Owls, a trend exhibited from several of the most recent commitments.
Baker should cap off an impressive corps of linebackers in this class. The Owls already have commitments from Kenny Seymour, Aidan Siano and DJ Arkansas, all of which came back in March. The addition of Baker at a well-stocked position points to how highly the staff valued his abilities.
The JUCO connection is worth noting as well. Blaze Alldredge set a ridiculously high standard for junior college recruits at Rice. But the Owls have also hit on fellow JUCO players like Naeem Smith and Brad Rozner. The potential to build on a player who already has experience playing college ball is significant, and one the Owls’ will certainly be able to take advantage of with Baker.
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Baker is a fun one to watch on film. He’s aggressive from the snap and his pursuit is relentless. He can truly move from sideline to sideline and covers a lot of ground along the way. He’s going to find the ball carrier, and when he does, he’s going to arrive with a wallop. Consistent tackling ability is a must-have trait to see the field for this defense and he doesn’t stop until he has the ballcarrier on the ground.