Clemson defensive back to transfer

TigerNet Staff by

Clemson defensive back Adrian Baker has decided to transfer, a source told TigerNet Wednesday afternoon.

Baker missed the 2016 season while recovering from a knee injury suffered last spring, but he returned to practice late in the season and was expected to compete for a spot at cornerback this spring. He started three games in 2015, logging 253 snaps, and had 15 tackles and two interceptions in three games.

During the 2015 season, he started and logged 34 snaps in win over Miami and posted three tackles. Baker nabbed his first career interception in the win over Florida State, and he played 42 snaps at South Carolina, with his second career interception. Both interceptions were in the redzone.

During his freshman campaign in 2014, he had one tackle in 46 snaps over four games.

Baker told TigerNet during Clemson’s Fiesta Bowl media day that while he did miss playing, the injury allowed him to be home for the birth of his daughter (who lives in Baker’s home state of Florida) – a moment he wouldn’t want to miss for anything.

“It's been tough to watch. The toughest thing was having to watch every game and not being able to help my teammates, especially after last year with the way we lost to Alabama,” Baker told TigerNet last month. “However, I had a daughter that was born, so if I weren't hurt, I wouldn't have been able to be there for that. I look at it like that sometimes, too.”

The Hallandale (FL) native was next in line to start at cornerback before the injury, and he said knowing he missed out on the opportunity to stake his claim is what hurts the most when he looks back at the entire experience.

“I look forward to that. When I got hurt, the thing that hurt me most was that I felt like I was finally starting to turn as a player and I felt like I was going to have a good year,” Baker said. “Next year, I feel like I'm going to have a good year.”

Baker will graduate from Clemson in May with a degree in English. He can transfer to a FBS school, but will have to choose a school that offers a Masters Degree program not offered at Clemson if he wants to play in 2017. Or, Baker could transfer to a FCS school and play immediately.

Baker said he feels like he’s nearing 100-percent and was excited to get back on the field for spring practice.

“I feel like it's getting stronger every week, honestly. I feel like every week I'm able to do something different that I wasn't able to do the week before, like cutting and stuff like that,” he said. “It's gotten a lot better. I think I'm ready to turn it loose. I'm cleared, but I think by the springtime when I finally get the brace off, I'll be ready to go and compete with some of my teammates and help the team the best way I can.”