The NFL scouts projected Budda Baker as a Second Round pick in 2017, and that is where he landed, when the Arizona Cardinals chose him.  The main reason that he fell out of the first round despite his dominance at the University of Washington was that he was south of 5’ 10”.  It turned out to be a steal.

Baker was an All-Rookie Safety, and his combination of speed, instincts, and physical play propelled him to the upper echelon of Defensive Backs.  A Pro Bowl as a rookie as a special-teams player, Baker enters 2025 on a six-year streak of Pro Bowls as a Safety, bringing a skill set of shut-down corner and sure-tackling that makes him one of the most avoidable DBs among Offensive Coordinators.

He could be a top ten Cardinal in the next two years if he maintains this pace.

2023 Pre-Season Rank #78, 2022 Pre-Season Rank #86, 2021 Pre-Season Rank #!113, 2020 Pre-Season Rank #147.  Peak Period: 2019-23

Baker is already a six-time Pro Bowl Selection and a two-time First Team All-Pro.  He is a tackling machine who led the NFL in Solo Tackles in 2019. Although his AV/G is lower than the MPA, his stature among his peers is huge.

The bar for Safeties is high, and Baker (and his peers) have a lot of work to do to gain serious Hall of Fame consideration.