Ex-Clemson CB Adrian Baker Lands At Oklahoma State


Former Clemson defensive back Adrian Baker is transferring to Oklahoma State. The ex-Tiger is eligible to play immediately as a grad transfer.


After winning a national championship at Clemson, Adrian Baker is looking to take his talents to Big 12 country.

The former Tigers cornerback is transferring to Oklahoma State to play a final season as a graduate transfer under head coach Mike Gundy. Baker made the announcement via Twitter on Tuesday.

Baker chose the Cowboys after making an official visit on March 4 ahead of trips to Houston and Central Florida. As a grad transfer, he will be eligible to compete during the 2017 season after finishing the semester at Clemson next month. He is expected to graduate with a major in English and minor in Communication Studies.

The 5-foot-11, 180-pound Florida native logged three starts during the 2015 season, intercepting two passes, but he missed all of last season after suffering a torn ACL during the spring. So while he was a member of Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney’s championship team in 2016, he was unable to contribute on the field.

His arrival in Stillwater will be huge for an Oklahoma State secondary that lacks experience. Gundy’s defense does not have a current corner with starting experience after losing senior Ashton Lampkin, as the Pokes moved three-year starting CB Ramon Richards to free safety. So a healthy Baker is a nice addition for a defensive backfield that will have to defend a slew of Big 12 passing attacks. Darius Curry, A.J. Green, Madre Harper and Rodarius Williams have been competing for the starting spots at corner this spring, but that group has zero combined career starts.

Gundy and the Pokes will hold their spring game this coming Saturday leading up to a 2017 season that should feature plenty of victories. Oklahoma State checked in at No. 10 in the Campus Insiders post-National Signing Day Top 25 rankings, as the Pokes return quarterback Mason Rudolph, wide receiver James Washington and running back Justice Hill. Defense will tell the tale for this squad, though, if the Pokes want to claim a Big 12 crown and win at least 10 games for the fourth time in five seasons.

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