Edwin Baker Scouting Report

Michigan State Spartans running back Edwin Baker is a junior prospect who would be best served returning to school rather than throw his name into ring for the 2012 NFL Draft. With a compact, thick build at 5'9", Baker is a runner with above-average balance, good patience and can sometimes churn for extra yardage. Baker is built like Ray Rice, even though Baker is not necessarily the same contributor as a pass-receiver.

His speed is good and should run in the high 4.4s during the 40-yard dash. Too often, he is looking to dole out punishment rather than avoid it or minimize. This works in the Big 10 since the NFL-caliber players are spread thin. Michigan State's offense is led by quarterback Kirk Cousins. When teams draft a running back, you either want a game-changer who can break the big runs or a grinder. Baker is in that middle zone between both.

What will really set off his style of play is hitting the holes more aggressively. He seems to scan the gap assignment and pause for just a split second to assess what hole to hit. If he can cut down on that and accelerate into the second level, Baker could develop after a few seasons as a solid backup.

Baker projects as an undrafted free agent in the 2012 NFL Draft.