Sam Baker (offensive tackle)
{{Short description|American football player (born 1985)}}
{{Use American English|date=April 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Sam Baker
| image = 102007-SamBaker.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Baker with the USC Trojans in 2007
| number = 72
| position = Offensive tackle
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1985|5|30|mf=y}}
| birth_place = Tustin, California, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 5
| weight_lbs = 301
| high_school = Tustin
| college = USC (2003–2007)
| draftyear = 2008
| draftround = 1
| draftpick = 21
| pastteams = * Atlanta Falcons ({{NFL Year|2008|2014}})
| highlights = * 3× First-team All-American (2005–2007)
- 3× First-team All-Pac-10 (2005–2007)
- Second-team All-Pac-10 (2004)
| statlabel1 = Games played
| statvalue1 = 70
| statlabel2 = Games started
| statvalue2 = 61
| pfr = B/BakeSa21
}}
Samuel David Baker (born May 30, 1985) is an American former professional football player who was an offensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the USC Trojans and was a three-time All-American. He was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the first round of the 2008 NFL draft.
Early life
Baker was born in Tustin, California. He graduated from Tustin High School. He played in the 2003 U.S. Army All-American Bowl.
College career
Baker attended the University of Southern California, where he played for coach Pete Carroll's USC Trojans football team from 2003 to 2007. He was a first-team All-American as a redshirt sophomore in 2005.
He was on the official 2006 watch list for the Lombardi Award and the Outland Trophy for the best lineman. In his collegiate career Baker blocked for Reggie Bush and Matt Leinart. He was named a first-team All-Pacific-10 Conference selection by the league's coaches in 2005 and 2006.The awards are voted on by Pac-10 coaches. [http://usc.scout.com/2/595004.html 2006 All-Pac-10 team] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070125191817/http://usc.scout.com/2/595004.html |date=January 25, 2007 }}, scout.com, November 27, 2006. He was a recognized as a consensus first-team All-American, having received first-team honors from the Football Writers Association of America, Sporting News and CBSSports.com.
Going into his fourth year as a starter, Baker was on the Lombardi Award and Outland Trophy watch lists. He was ranked as one of the "Top 20 Players Heading Into 2007" by Sports Illustrated.[https://web.archive.org/web/20070427183440/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multimedia/photo_gallery/0704/gallery.cfb.top20.players.for.07/content.16.html Top 20 Players Heading Into 2007], CNNSI.com, April 24, 2007. Before his final season in 2007, Baker was already regarded by most NFL scouts as a certain top-five player in the 2008 NFL draft.{{Cite web |last=Pasquarelli |first=Len |author-link=Len Pasquarelli |date=2007-05-11 |title=Pasquarelli: Teams always looking to tackle problems |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=pasquarelli_len&id=2867242 |access-date=2024-12-04 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}
During the 2007 season, Baker took on a leadership role in the offensive line, taking over the reins from departed senior Ryan Kalil and providing motivation as well as helping teach younger players.Gary Klein, [https://archive.today/20130127191639/http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-uscbaker21sep21,1,2021449,full.story Top of the line], Los Angeles Times, September 21, 2007.
Despite suffering from injuries that held him out of games, Baker was again a first-team All-Pac-10 selection for his third consecutive year.[http://www.pac-10.org/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/120307aal.html Pac-10 Football Awards and All-Conference Team Announced] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090212025224/http://www.pac-10.org/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/120307aal.html |date=February 12, 2009 }}, Pacific 10 Conference, December 3, 2007. Baker was also named Walter Camp first-team All-American in 2007.
Professional career
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 6
| height in = 4 5/8
| weight = 309
| dash = 5.50
| ten split = 1.87
| twenty split = 3.13
| shuttle = 4.92
| cone drill = 8.02
| vertical = 28.5
| broad ft = 9
| broad in = 0
| bench = 29
| arm span = 32 3/4
| hand span = 9 1/4
| note = All values from NFL Combine/Pro Day{{Cite web |url=https://www.nfl.com/prospects/sam-baker/32004241-4b59-7488-2675-31b135d46ce5 |title=Sam Baker Draft and Combine Prospect Profile |website=NFL.com |access-date=January 2, 2025}}{{Cite web |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=15644&DraftYear=2008 |title=Sam Baker College Football Profile |website=DraftScout.com |access-date=January 2, 2025}}
}}
File:Sam Baker at Roam the Dome 2008.jpg.]]
Sam Baker was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the first round (21st overall) of the 2008 NFL Draft after the Falcons traded two of their second-round picks (No. 34 and No. 48) and a fourth round pick (No. 103) with the Washington Redskins to move to No. 21 overall.{{Cite web |title=2008 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2008/draft.htm |access-date=2023-05-11 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} On July 25, he signed a multi-year contract. In his rookie year, 2008, Baker started 5 games. On March 13, 2013, Baker re-signed with the Falcons for six years worth $41.5 million, including $18.25 million guaranteed.
Baker's career was marred by injuries and he only competed in all 16 games in two seasons (2010 and 2012). He played in four games in 2013 before suffering a torn left patellar tendon which sidelined him for the rest of the year. In the second game of the 2014 preseason, Baker suffered a torn patellar tendon injury in his right knee, which ended his season.{{cite news|last1=Ledbetter|first1=D. Orlando|title=Sam Baker out for year with torn patellar tendon|url=http://atlantafalcons.blog.ajc.com/2014/08/17/sam-baker-diagnosed-with-torn-patellar-tendon/?__federated=1|access-date=August 30, 2014|publisher=Atlanta Journal-Constitution|date=August 17, 2014}} Baker was released on June 15, 2015.{{cite web|last1=Alper|first1=Josh|title=Falcons release Sam Baker|date=June 15, 2015 |url=http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/06/15/falcons-release-sam-baker/|publisher=Pro Football Talk|access-date=June 16, 2015}}
Personal
Baker is the son of former Pro Football Hall of Fame President & CEO{{Cite web|url=http://www.profootballhof.com/hof-president-david-baker-bio/|title=Hall of Fame President David Baker's Bio - Connect {{!}} Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site|website=www.profootballhof.com|language=en|access-date=March 9, 2018}} and former Arena Football League commissioner C. David Baker. Sam married his wife, Antoinette, in 2008. He also is the brother of Ben Baker, who is the Senior Director of Broadcasting for NASCAR.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{commons}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20111016094834/http://www.atlantafalcons.com/roster-players/sam-baker/ Atlanta Falcons bio]
- [http://usctrojans.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/baker_sam00.html USC Trojans bio]
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Category:Sportspeople from Tustin, California
Category:Tustin High School alumni
Category:Players of American football from Orange County, California
Category:American football offensive tackles
Category:USC Trojans football players