Around the Dawg House will bring you daily updates from what people and publications are saying about Georgia,  from inside and outside of Athens.

Georgia cornerback Deandre Baker projected to the Philadelphia Eagles

It’s been quite a year for Georgia defensive back Deandre Baker. He was named a first team All-American and won the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation’s top defensive back. He also helped Georgia win its second-consecutive SEC East title, as the Bulldogs finished 11-2 and just missed the College Football Playoff.

As for what’s ahead for Baker, he will play for the Bulldogs in the Sugar Bowl against Texas — as opposed to sitting out to prepare for the 2019 NFL Draft like many other college standouts have chosen to do. Baker’s draft stock isn’t something he needs to be worried about at this point, as ESPN’s Todd McShay comfortably projects him to be a first-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft

McShay put out a new mock draft on Wednesday and had Baker going 16th to the Philadelphia Eagles. Baker is the second cornerback off the board in McShay’s mock draft, behind only LSU’s Greedy Williams.

“Baker isn’t the biggest or fastest corner, but he shows the best instincts of the bunch and is a ball hawk,” McShay said. “And you might have noticed that the defending Super Bowl champions could use a solid cornerback,” McShay said. “Let’s see what he does against those big Texas receivers in the Sugar Bowl.”

The Texas wide receivers McShay is referring to are Lil’Jordan Humphrey, listed at 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds, and Collin Johnson, who stands at 6-foot-6 and weighs 220 pounds. The duo combined for 144 catches, 2,054 yards and 16 touchdowns this season. Baker has shut down a number of the SEC’s top wide receivers this season — such as South Carolina’s Deebo Samuel — so the challenge of facing off against Humphrey and Johnson is nothing new.

Baker was Georgia’s only player represented in McShay’s first round mock draft. The NFL draft expert pegged former Georgia safety Johnathan Abram to be taken by the Los Angeles Rams with the No. 30 pick. Last season, Georgia had three first round picks, as Roquan Smith was taken with the No. 8 pick, Isaiah Wynn with the No. 23 pick and Sony Michel went No. 31. This year’s NFL draft will be held from April 25-27 and take place in Nashville, Tenn.

Georgia and Baker take on Texas in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1. The game kicks off at 8:45 p.m. ET and will air on ESPN. The radio broadcast for the game can be heard on WSB Radio 95.5 FM/AM 750.

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