I was given the great opportunity to interview Michigan State's very own, Edwin Baker. The Spartan running back will be attending the NFL Draft in April after only three seasons with MSU. Edwin is a great guy. Thought he was very humble, and is ready for his shot in the National Football League. Read on to see what Edwin had to say about his shot at living his dream!
Brandon Sweeney: First, I want to thank you for doing an interview with me on Pro Football Hotline.
Edwin Baker: No problem.
Brandon Sweeney: Okay, you recently attended the NFL Scouting Combine. What was that like?
Brandon Sweeney: What would you tell young players that have the same dream as you going to the combine? What should they look for?
Edwin Baker: Basically, don't let anybody tell you that you can't do anything. There is a reason for everything. Keep your head up, and when you get to the combine, don't have any pressure or anything else wrong when you get there. Live the dream and soak it all in. It's only a once in a lifetime type of thing so just soak it all in.
Brandon Sweeney: What did you think about your combine performance?
Edwin Baker: I think I did very well. I didn't run what I wanted in the 40-yard dash, but I will make up for that on my pro day. I think I did well on my drills. I think I showed my quickness. I think that I caught the ball pretty good. I think I impressed a couple scouts. I hope I did.
Brandon Sweeney: What was the toughest drill at the combine in your opinion?
Edwin Baker: I wouldn't say any of them were tough. I mean, I have been playing football for a very long time and I have been doing drills since I have started playing football. It's pretty much just going out there and doing what your doing. It's just football and it's what your doing for a living, so it shouldn't be hard for you. Something you have been taught for a long time.
Brandon Sweeney: Did you meet with any teams at the combine?
Edwin Baker: I met with pretty much all the running back coaches from the majority of the thirty-two teams. I felt the interview went very well. I felt like they seen the type of person I am. Seen my character and the way I present myself. It felt like they were very interested in me. That is pretty much how it went.
Brandon Sweeney: You came out of Michigan State a year early. Can you tell why you left after your junior season when you still had one season left?
Edwin Baker: Absolutely. I just felt that I was ready. I am 100 percent. I feel like this is the right time to come out. I just thought that I was 100 percent healthy, I don't have much wear and tear on my body, and that was basically the reason why I decided to come out.
Brandon Sweeney: In your career at Michigan State, you had 15 receptions for 125 yards, and one receiving touchdown. Do you think that you can develop into a good receiving back in the NFL?
Edwin Baker: I think so. I definitely have the capability of catching the ball out of the back field. I didn't get the ball thrown at me much in games, but when it did get thrown to me, I did make the catch and I did get positive yards. I definitely think I can put it in my game plan and use it in the NFL.
Brandon Sweeney: What can you bring to an NFL team and why should a team take a chance on a running back like you?
Edwin Baker: I think I can bring a combination of speed and power. Like I said, I think I can catch the ball out of the back field. There's a lot of running backs coming out that doesn't have all those capabilities. They may have one or two, but I feel that I have all three. I think going to the next level, you have to be versatile, you can't just be a one way back.
Brandon Sweeney: What game would you tell scouts to go back and watch to show them that you can be a good football player on their team now and for years to come?
Brandon Sweeney: Alright, well that is all we have. I want to thank you again for doing an interview with Pro Football Hotline and best of luck to you in April.
Edwin baker: Alright thank you.
What a great interview! I had a lot of fun talking to Edwin Baker. Like I said, he is a humble guy that is very confident in his game. I like what I see when I watch his film. He is not lying, plays very well against Michigan, but I also like his game against Notre Dame. If I was an NFL team, I would definitely look into taking Baker. I hope that you liked the interview and keep your eyes open for more on Pro Football Hotline. Leave comments on this post telling what you thought about it and what you think about Edwin Baker. Follow him on Twitter @E_Baker4 and me @ProFballHotline.
EDWIN BAKER STATS
2009 --------- 8 Games, 85 carries, 427 yards, 1 TD, 5.0 Avg/C, 53.4 Avg.G
2010 --------- 13 Games, 207 carries, 1,201 yards, 13 TD, 5.8 Avg/C, 92.4 Avg/G
2011 --------- 14 Games, 170 carries, 665 yards, 5 TD, 3.9 Avg/C, 47.5 Avg/G
TOTAL ------ 35 Games, 462 carries, 2,293 yards, 19 TD, 5.0 Avg/C, 65.5 Avg/G
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