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Sam Baker may see his draft stock slipping a little bit but he is an athletic tackle who has shown he can handle playing at a heavier weight (picked up 15 pounds for his senior year). If he can show teams he can stay healthy and he has some maulers inside to help him he will be a very valuable asset to his new team. *Sam Baker, Offensive Tackle, USC*
Senior, 6-5, 305 *Strengths:* Lateral movement
*Weaknesses:* Body positioning *Technique:* Needs to be a little more flexible and get lower in his stance but he has a solid technique, uses his hands well and is great at handling speed rushers off the edge. *Known Injuries:* Had knee surgery coming into his senior season and struggled with hamstring problems in 2007. *Combine / Workout Assessment:* Coming Soon. *DJ Boyer's Analysis:* Baker has slid down the boards a bit but most of that has to do with injuries. There was a lot of talk Baker would turn pro after 2006 but some late season knee problems forced him to have offseason surgery. Baker came back as a senior for 2007 and suffered hamstring problems throughout most of the year. Has gained some weight, was playing around 290 last year and increased it to about 305 for much of the season as the added weight had no detrimental effect on his game. Still shows the awesome lateral movement that made him so popular, can be moved around the line and will often switch sides if lining up against a top speed rusher. Has good leg drive and strength despite not being one of the most physically intimidating players on the USC roster. Will need to improve his flexibility and get lower in his stances. This will help and be important if going to a team employing a power running game. Could go in the first round but the second round could be the most likely spot at this time. The combine will be very important for Baker as he tries to convince teams he will not be an injury liability.
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