Tennessee quarterback commit Derrick Baker showed off the skills that UT’s coaching staff have been eyeing during a spring football game on Friday. The 6-foot-1, 220-pound quarterback played his final spring game for Milton High School in Alpharetta, GA, after committing to Tennessee back in February.
While we don’t know the exact details of Baker’s full game, some highlights did find their way to social media. The plays show what the scouting report reads, with his athleticism and strength leading the way in a balanced skill set.
The first play was a 72-yard touchdown run, where Baker took the snap, faked the handoff, and burst around the offensive line and straight through the secondary. By the time he was 10 yards into his run, Baker was off to the races.
Milton (GA) QB and Tennessee commit Derrick Baker takes off for a long TD run early in this spring scrimmage. pic.twitter.com/ONuw6VEMRv
Advertisement— Matt DeBary (@MattDeBary) May 15, 2026
The second highlight showed Baker’s ability to move in the backfield, evade pressure, and still pin the ball down the field.
Extend. Reset. Deliver. Touchdown. @MiltonEagles_FB pic.twitter.com/ZMaC4svuTC
— Derrick Baker 2027 QB (@derrickbakerQb1) May 16, 2026
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247Sports Director of Scouting Andrew Ivins’ scouting report on Baker from February essentially recaps these two plays.
“Stocky dual-threat quarterback with the toughness to power a rushing attack,” Ivins writes. “Creates chances while on the move, but can also drive the ball from the pocket with a sturdy base.”
Baker is ranked as a three-star prospect in the 2027 cycle by 247Sports Composite. He’s also listed as the No. 40 quarterback in the class and the No. 89 player from the state of Georgia.
Speaking of Georgia, though, the Bulldogs appear to be trying to get in the mix despite Baker’s commitment to Tennessee. Kirby Smart and the Georgia staff extended an offer to Baker on May 6, which was nearly three months after his commitment to the Vols.
The Bulldogs are the in-state team in the race. Baker currently plays at Milton High School in Milton, GA, which is about three hours away from Knoxville and just under two hours from Athens.
While on a visit to Knoxville during Tennessee’s spring camp, Baker posted a picture of himself and head coach Josh Heupel on Instagram. In the caption, Baker wrote that Tennessee is “the dream university” and that “this environment is just different.” That post came about five weeks before receiving an offer from the in-state Bulldogs.
Tennessee’s class currently includes four-star WR Kesean Bowman, four-star OT Princeton Uwaifo, four-star DL Kadin Fife, three-star safety Jaden Butler, three-star LB JP Peace, three-star CB Carter Jamison, and Baker. 247Sports has Tennessee’s class ranked 33rd in the nation at this point in time.
Judging by social media posts, Baker appears to have a strong relationship with head coach Josh Heupel and UT quarterbacks coach Joey Halzle. Will that be enough to thwart the Bulldogs’ in-state efforts? We’ll just have to wait and see.
