2027 QB Derrick Baker Talks Notre Dame Camp, What's Next

Derrick Baker‍ got a chance to check out Notre Dame this past Friday and the coaches got the chance to see the 2027 Georgia quarterback throw at Irish Invasion.

“It was great,” Baker told Irish Sports Daily afterward. “I had a great camp, had a chance to tour around the campus and everything. I got to just have conversations with Coach Gino (Guidugli).”

The Milton High School standout was pleased with the way he threw the ball. 

“Really good,” he said of his performance. “At the end, we had a little accuracy challenge that I didn't do the best in. But one-on-ones were good. Routes on air were great. It was a really good camp.”

The feedback from the staff was positive, according to Baker.

“They liked everything they saw from throwing and all that,” he said. “They said they're only going to offer five quarterbacks in the '27 class. They haven't offered anybody yet, but Coach Gino liked everything he saw. He said they have two more camps and then they'll start offering people. Really just seeing how it goes.

“They're not planning on offering 15 quarterbacks. They're really sticking to five that they really want. They're going through the whole camp series and then would reach out or let me know.”

Baker currently has offers from Ohio State, Auburn, Florida State, Miami, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Kentucky and Virginia among several others. 

The 6-foot-1, 220-pounder enjoyed Marcus Freeman and the Irish staff. 

“The coaching style was really good,” Baker said. “Coach Freeman was a really outspoken guy. He got in front of the group and just started talking about not just football, but about life. 

“Coach Gino was a straightforward guy. He told me everything. It is not like he was hiding anything or didn't want to tell me anything. He was just straightforward to me about everything that happened.”

Baker enjoyed the Grill & Chill after the camp. 

“It was actually really fun,” he said. “We got to eat and then that's when I toured the school a little bit. I got to go around on a golf cart to see the campus. 

“We came back and just started cooking some chicken, steak, shrimp, asparagus and corn. We had some of the coaches grade us on how it was. The o-linemen won, quarterbacks got second. It sucks we couldn't come away with it, but.”

Baker still has camps at Auburn, Alabama and Florida State this month, but his initial impression of Notre Dame was certainly positive,

“I definitely want to say it's a beautiful place,” he said. “Just going around, we got to see everything; the Church, the Golden Dome. I'd just say it seems like a peaceful place. 

“Obviously their academics are also really exceptional. It's not just football and sports all there. That was one of the things Coach Freeman was talking about. He wants to try to help the players achieve in stuff after football, not just their dreams of playing football. I had a chance to just go onto the field and actually play catch, see the stadium, just be at the 50-yard line and see everything. I think it was a great camp, a great first experience being out there and seeing almost everything.”

Want the latest scoop on the Fighting Irish? Sign up for our newsletter and become an ISD Premium Subscriber: Sign Up for ISD

47 White Notre Dame Fighting Irish Melbourne brrr° Adjustable Visor