Jerome Baker – June 12, 2018
Tuesday, June 12, 2018
LB Jerome Baker
(How pleased have you been with how you’ve done in your opportunities in team drills?) – “I feel really good. I’m just getting better every day. It’s a constant grind, but I’m definitely happy where I’m going.”
(What’s been your best play? We’ve only been able to watch five of the practices.) – “My best play is … I don’t know. Every day you just continue to learn and learn from your mistakes. Every day I get a new best play, I guess you could say, because I made up for the mistake I made the day before.”
(Have you forced a fumble? Have you done anything you would consider real notable?) – “Not really. Just constantly getting better.”
(Have they been working you mostly at Will or Sam?) – “I’ve been moving around a lot – in and out, from nickel to base. I’ve moved around pretty much.”
(Have they tried you at Mike or no?) – “No, they haven’t tried me at Mike.”
(I know LB Stephone Anthony said yesterday it’s been sort of a rotation with him and LB Terence Garvin. Have you gotten a little first-team work? A lot?) – “I’ve just been moving around pretty much everywhere. Sometimes you can be thrown in anywhere. When I’m in, I just try to make the best of the opportunity.”
(I like following your Twitter account. I get motivational messages on there sometimes. I guess I’ll ask you about the one you pinned here. Can you explain what this one means: “Please don’t fight my battles. I need these scars.” Can you tell me about that?) – “I made that one quite a long time ago. It’s pretty much I need that struggle. I don’t need anybody to take it for me. That pretty much was my whole college career. Coming in as a freshman, being behind some first rounders, Raekwon (McMillan) and all of those guys, they just sat me down and said, ‘You need all the pressure and all the hard times you go through. It’s going to pay off in the end.’ Honestly, it did and I kind of just stick to that. The hard times are going to come, but they’re not going to last.”
(How many scars do you got?) – “Quite a bit. Quite a bit.”
(Any one in particular that stands out?) – “I would say my freshman year at Ohio State. That was the biggest hard time in my life. Coming in as a senior in high school and a star player, you think I’m going to come in and pretty much do whatever I want to do, be behind Darron Lee, Christopher Worley, Josh Perry, Raekwon (McMillan). They humble you fast. They try to bring you along, but they understand that it’s a growing process and they definitely helped me.”
(Do you see any correlation between what’s going on then and now?) – “Yes, but it’s kind of a … I’ve been through it before, so I know it’s going to come and it’s going to go. So, just take advantage of it and try to learn as much as you can. The faster you learn, the faster it gets over with.”
(What kind of feedback have you gotten from the coaching staff about how you’ve played so far?) – “Pretty good. I’m learning the playbook pretty well; but now it’s just the focus on the little details. The little things I’m pretty much focusing on. The basic things are going well, but the little things is what’s going to separate me.”
(While you were going through the hard times as a freshman, what was going through your mind? Were you starting to wonder, “Am I ever going to get it?” or “Why is this tougher than I thought?”) – “The physical part, I really never really questioned. It was more the mental part of, ‘I keep making the same petty mistake.’ And after a while, three mistakes turned into two, those two mistakes turned into one and next thing you know, you’re not making as many mistakes anymore. The mental part is what’s – with any athlete – is what’s the hard part. Once I got that under control, the physical part just took care of itself.”
(Who has been your roommate?) – “’Q.’ Quentin Poling.”
(Is LB Quentin Poling a good sleeper? Does he snore?) – “Does he snore? (laughter)”
(Are you getting rest?) – “No, he doesn’t really snore. I go to bed before him and he’s gone before me. When I wake up, he’s pretty much gone already. He has his own car, so he’s gone.”
(Do you guys work out who’s the night shower and who’s the morning shower?) – “(laughter) It’s kind of just get it in when you fit in. (laughter) That’s pretty much what it is.”
(Is it difficult out there to restrain yourself to remember not to hit anybody and have you been reprimanded for maybe getting a little too close?) – “Sometimes it’s hard when you’re running full speed. It’s a regular play, you just run through them; but we’re pros now. You just got to take care of each other. It’s pretty cool.”
(Did you have any time where the coaches had to tell you, “That was a little too much?”) – “I have players be like, ‘Alright, calm down.’ Especially at walkthroughs. Walkthroughs – even in college – it was a full … We were going hard. You just weren’t hitting anybody. Here, the walkthroughs are a little toned down; but I was still in my college mind of going hard and sometimes it gets you in trouble a little bit. But it’s all good.”
(How bummed were you that the Cavs lost in the NBA Finals and how bummed will you be when LeBron James leaves?) – “Alright. Alright. Okay. (laughter)”
(I know you’re a big LeBron James guy.) – “It is what it is. Wherever LeBron goes, I’m still going to be his fan; but he’s still the greatest basketball player of all time. I’m happy for the Cavs. They had a great season, but it is what it is.”
(I know obviously any linebacker coming into the league, they’d eventually like to be a full-time player. You’re obviously known for being terrific in coverage. Have you thought about in your mind, “I’d like at least to show enough now and again in August to get on the field on traditional passing spots.” Is that a thought process you have?) – “Yes. Any player, they want to get in pretty much every play, and that’s me. I’m known for coverage, but I feel like I can do anything you tell me to do. That’s just one aspect of my game is just covering, but I have a whole arsenal of different things I can do.”
(How have you held up in coverage against backs and tight ends the last three weeks?) – “It’s been pretty good. Mike (Gesicki), he’s definitely a great tight end. It’s funny going up against him because we went against each other in college, so it’s pretty fun.”
(Maybe practicing against TE Mike Gesicki will get you ready for TE Rob Gronkowski. Have you watched any of that Gronk film yet? How familiar are you with that guy?) – “He’s a great player, but I’ll cross that path when it comes. He’s one of the best tight ends ever. It’s going to be a good honor, but I’m going to cross that when it’s time to cross that path.”
(How much have you leaned on LB Raekwon McMillan obviously with the friendship going back to Ohio State? Do you talk to him most days about things? Does he come to you with advice?) – “I talk to him pretty much every day. His locker is right next to mine. Weekends, I even ask to use his car. I pretty much use him as much as I can. He comes to me and he tells me things I need to work on. He’s a great leader. He’s the middle linebacker. He’s been a real middle linebacker his whole life. He’s good.”
(Let’s get to the root of this whole thing: Where’s your car? Do you have a license?) – “I have a license. So when I was training for the Combine, my dad ended up wrecking my car. He’s fine. It’s just I don’t have one now. So, that’s going to be my purchase I guess.”
