At 6-foot 6 and 265 pounds, it’s hard to miss Atlanta native Kendall Baker on the football field. The Marist School product lined up at both offensive tackle and defensive end for the War Eagles this season, but on Friday, the junior standout lined up on the defensive side of the ball at the third annual AT&T Georgia Junior Bowl – a game highlighting the state’s 98 best rising seniors.
While Baker’s high school season ended with a heartbreaking one-point loss in the fourth round of the GHSA playoffs only a few weeks ago, he seemed excited to be back on the field.
“Having some fun out here with my peers – it feels good to play on a team that’s just stacked,” Baker said Friday. “We’re playing hard and having some fun while we do it.”
Although he claims no present leaders, Baker took a number of regional visits during this past season, swinging by in-state schools Georgia and Georgia Tech, while also making quick trips to both Vanderbilt and Auburn.
As for Florida, Baker said that he plans on visiting the Gators this summer during his “big recruiting trip,” and that tight ends coach Derek Lewis is currently handling his recruitment.
As far as what he thinks about the Gators and their surprising 11-1 season: “I like what they did,” Baker said. “They had a good year this year.”
The AT&T Georgia Junior Bowl will be played on Monday, Dec. 31st. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN3 starting at 1 p.m.