Dallas Baker

Dallas Baker

Dallas Baker at Pittsburgh Steelers' 2009 training camp.
No. 18  Free agent
Position: Wide receiver
Personal information
Date of birth: November 10, 1982
Place of birth: New Smyrna Beach, Florida
Height: 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight: 206 lb (93 kg)
Career information
High school: New Smyrna Beach (FL)
College: Florida
NFL draft: 2007 / Round: 7 / Pick: 227
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Stats at NFL.com
Career CFL statistics as of 2011
Receptions: 23
Receiving yards: 300
Average: 13.0
Long: 72
Touchdowns: 0
Career Arena football statistics as of 2013
Receptions: 102
Yards: 1,303
Average: 12.77
Touchdowns: 25
Stats at CFL.ca
Stats at ArenaFan.com

Dallas Leon Baker (born November 10, 1982) is an American professional football player who is currently a free agent. Baker played college football for the University of Florida, and thereafter, he has played professionally for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL) and the Jacksonville Sharks of the Arena Football League (AFL).

Early years

Baker was born in New Smyrna Beach, Florida, and attended New Smyrna Beach High School, where he was a star wide receiver for the New Smyrna Beach Barracudas high school football team.[1] In 2001, he set the single season Barracudas' record with seventeen touchdowns, 67 catches and 1,142 yards [1]

College career

Baker accepted an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, and played for coach Ron Zook and coach Urban Meyer's Florida Gators football teams from 2003 to 2006.[2] He originally signed to play for the Gators in February 2001 as a member of what would become coach Steve Spurrier's final recruiting class at Florida, but due to NCAA academic eligibility issues, Baker instead enrolled at Northfield Mount Hermon School, an elite preparatory school in Massachusetts, for one year. While at Mt. Hermon, Baker led his team to the New England Championship game. After Spurrier left Florida for the NFL and Zook was hired to replace him, Baker stuck with Florida and enrolled as a partial-qualifier in 2002.

Urban Meyer's hiring at Florida three seasons later marked a turning point in Baker's career at Florida. In 2005, he made fifty-six receptions, doubling his total from the previous season. Afterward, Baker's college grades were good enough to earn back the year of eligibility lost to the partial qualification.

As a senior team captain in 2006, Baker delivered career highs for receptions (60), receiving yards (920), and receiving touchdowns (10), and was a first-team All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) selection. Baker's 25-yard touchdown catch provided the winning margin in the Gators' 21–14 victory over the rival Florida State Seminoles. The following week, the Gators defeated Arkansas to win the SEC Championship Game for the first time in six years. The Gators would go on to rout the heavily favored Ohio State Buckeyes and capture their second national championship, with Baker catching a touchdown pass for Gators' first score in their 41–14 victory in the 2007 BCS National Championship Game. Throughout his college career, the college football analysts on ESPN called him "Dallas Baker, Touchdown Maker," hearkening back to his nickname from his New Smyrna Beach High School days.

He graduated from the University of Florida in December 2006 with a bachelor's degree in health and human performance.

Professional career

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers chose Baker in the seventh round (227th pick overall) of the 2007 NFL Draft,[3] and he played for the Steelers from 2007 to 2009.[4] He was cut by the Steelers on September 1, 2007, but quickly re-joined the organization as a member of the practice squad on September 2.

Baker made the Steelers' 53-man roster out of training camp in 2008. He played in eight games, recording one catch for six yards, before being waived on November 15 to make room for cornerback Roy Lewis; the Steelers' re-signed Baker to their practice squad on November 19.

Dallas Baker, signed a future contract with the Steelers in February 2009. He was released in final cuts on September 5, 2009.

Jacksonville Sharks

Baker joined the Jacksonville Sharks of the Arena Football League in the early part of the 2010 season, and making his AFL debut in the third game of the season against the Orlando Predators.

Montreal Alouettes

Baker signed with Montreal Alouettes of the CFL on April 5, 2011.[5]

Saskatchewan Roughriders

On August 8, 2011, Baker was traded to the Saskatchewan Roughriders for Luc Mullinder.[6]

Dallas is now the Wide Receiver Coach at Warner University. A Christian college in Lake Wales, Florida

Football family

Baker is the nephew of Wes Chandler, who is a former All-American Gator wide receiver, NFL standout and professional football coach.

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 GatorZone.com, Football History, 2006 Roster, Dallas Baker. Retrieved March 23, 2011.
  2. ↑ 2012 Florida Football Media Guide, University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, pp. 67, 88, 89, 95, 97, 100, 105, 116, 138, 141–142, 145, 151–152, 154, 176 (2012). Retrieved September 14, 2012.
  3. ↑ Pro Football Hall of Fame, Draft History, 2007 National Football League Draft. Retrieved May 18, 2011.
  4. ↑ National Football League, Historical Players, Dallas Baker. Retrieved May 18, 2011.
  5. ↑ Montreal Alouettes, The Team Roster, Dallas Baker. Retrieved August 1, 2011.
  6. ↑ http://www.riderville.com/article/riders-acquire-receiver-in-trade-with-alouettes

Bibliography

External links