The New York Giants traded back into the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft to snare Georgia’s Deandre Baker, who they felt was the best cover cornerback in this class.
“The thing that impressed me most on tape was how stinking competitive he (Baker) is,” head coach Pat Shurmur said last week. “He’s very confident and he’s very competitive and I think when he’s faced with a challenge of a good wide out, he’s going to accept the challenge.”
A week to the day after the Giants drafted him, Baker was interviewed before the team’s rookie minicamp and discussed his reputation as a player with “swag.”
“Confident and fearless,” said Baker, when asked to describe his playing style. “That’s how I explain my personality on the field.”
Baker is known for his ability to press cover and said the Giants’ defensive scheme is suited to his strengths because it calls for a lot of man-to-man coverage.
When his size (5-foot-11, 193 pounds) was mentioned as a possible impediment to him being as dominant in the pros as he was in college, Baker didn’t feel it was an issue.
“Size doesn’t really matter,” he said. “As long as you play and produce to help your team. That’s the biggest thing.”
And the Giants will be relying on Baker to come right in and challenge for a starting role on the defense. Then he will turn his attention on challenging NFL receivers.
