Oregon State Football

Oregon State Football: Most Valuable Player Countdown - #19 Baker Pritchard

Will the defensive line show improvements in 2017?

By Marcus Russell@Marcus_Russell2 Aug 7, 2017, 9:30am PDT

#19 Baker Pritchard - Defensive End

Baker Pritchard is a 6-foot-3, 274-pound senior defensive end for the Beavers. The former three-star recruit originally committed to BYU and redshirted his only season with the Cougars back in 2011. Pritchard then spent the next two years serving a church mission and afterwards decided to transfer to Oregon State because the Beavers defensive schemes highlighted his skills more fully.

Pritchard plays an aggressive style and loves to break into opposing backfields. Although he is considered an undersized defensive lineman in Oregon State's defensive scheme, the former high school power lifting champion is said to have deceptive strength according to his coaches and teammates.

As a sophomore Baker Pritchard accumulated 30 tackles and 1.5 sacks; but Pritchard (along with the rest of the defensive line) had a somewhat disappointing season a year ago. He recorded just 23 tackles and .5 sacks. Pritchard is one of the few seniors on the Oregon State football roster though and brings invaluable experience to the Beavers defensive. The defensive line has been maligned for their inability to stop the run and put pressure on opposing quarterbacks, but they should be much improved this season.

Coach Andersen has said he wants at least six effective defensive lineman to rotate in and out of the game and he should have his players in: Pritchard, Titus Failauga, Paisa Savea, Philip Napoleon, Kalani Vakameilalo and Elu Aydon (if he’s in shape). The X-factor is junior college transfer Craig Evans who is stuck in eligibility-limbo, but the coaches expect him to play this season even if he has to sit out a few games.