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Georgia Bulldogs

Georgia football: Deandre Baker deserves top honors, and he’s going to be missed

Tom Brew

By Tom Brew

Published:


It’s been a good month for Georgia cornerback Deandre Baker. He won the Jim Thorpe Award for being the best defensive back in the country, and he was named to several All-American teams.

That’s because he had a lot of good months all fall. He proved that he was the best cornerback in the nation week after week during the Bulldogs’ 10-2 season that included an SEC East title.

Baker was so good that he more or less took away half the field for opposing offenses. Quarterbacks rarely tested him, and when they did, it was often with disastrous results. He has the speed, reach and football sense to be a great one at the next level, too, and he’s a sure-fire first-round pick this spring in the 2019 NFL Draft.

Needless to say, the Bulldogs are going to miss him when he’s gone.

He was the rock in a secondary that played better than expected this season. It wasn’t without the occasional hiccups, but Baker was the leader of a mostly young group that made a lot of big plays.

“He’s helped me develop a lot, taught me a lot,” Georgia freshman Tyson Campbell said. “I’m like a sponge out there with coach Tuck (Mel Tucker) and coach (Kirby) Smart and the older guys in the secondary. They all teach me a lot and I just take whatever they tell me and just try to input it into my game.”

Campbell was a bit of a victim of Baker’s great success this year. The true freshman was thrown into the fire right from the get-go, starting at the other corner opposite Baker. The 5-star recruit has all the talent in the world, but there is a learning curve that can be exposed, especially at that position. Campbell struggled at times in coverage and with miscommunication, and eventually lost his starting job to Eric Stokes.

Campbell and Stokes will be the likely starters next year, which might balance the field a little bit more. Both should come back even better in 2019. Baker, for instance, didn’t even start himself until midway through his sophomore season, so Campbell’s experience thus far is invaluable.

“It’s football,” he said. “Things are going to happen. It’s a roller-coaster. There’s going to be swings. … I just have to focus on what’s ahead of me now.”

The first year was definitely a big test, Campbell said.

“It was tough, it was fun,” Campbell said. “But at the same time, it was a wake-up call, a learning experience. I feel like I learned a lot about football. And, you know, it’s just an all-learning year for me to get ready for next year.”

Campbell finally had a chance to talk about his season after Georgia’s 35-28 loss to Alabama in the SEC Championship Game back on Dec. 1. He understood his demotion, but he didn’t let it define him, He still got plenty of playing time, and he did well.

“Not every job is secure,” Campbell said. “You’ve always got to have that chip on your shoulder. Anybody can be replaced. I’m not mad or anything. I’m supporting my teammates. I’m just ready to move forward.”

He finished fifth on the team with 42 tackles, but ended up with only one pass breakup and no interceptions. Stokes had eight pass breakups, including one in the end zone against Alabama. Stokes earned his promotion more with his good play as opposed to Campbell’s struggles.

“We’ve talked for a long time about how we’re going to play the players that play the best,” Smart said after the Auburn game when asked why Stokes was starting. “I still think Tyson Campbell is a really good football player.”

Campbell feels like he knows what to work on. And that’s where experience comes in. Baker couldn’t even see the field as a freshman. So Campbell will be much better for all of this in 2019.

“I panic sometimes,” he said. “Other than that, I’m working real hard in practice and staying focused. I feel I’ve got a bright future and I’m not really stressing or worrying about anything.”

Tom Brew

Tom Brew is an award-winning journalist and author who is covering SEC football for Saturday Down South.

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