Arizona's NFL ties help Baker make decision to commit

Arizona has been looking to continue building up its offensive line under new coach Kyle DeVan. It took a step forward Friday as it landed two players up front for the 2020 class. One of them was three-star Eureka, Missouri offensive lineman Josh Baker who wrapped up a visit to Tucson Friday and announced his college choice at the end of the trip.

Baker, who had over a dozen offers, is someone the Wildcats identified and offered hoping he would become one of the members of the class and that came to fruition with the 6-foot-3 center prospect announcing his choice via social media Friday.

The Wildcats have been targeting new locales as Kevin Sumlin and his coaching staff get into their second season with the program. Texas has been one area of focus, but Missouri is another state the staff has been more active in especially in the 2020 recruiting cycle.

The Missouri-to-Arizona move has not been a common one for UA football in recent years, but Baker enjoyed his trip so much that the pieces came together to help him come to a decision.

"The trip went great," Baker said. "The family and I loved absolutely everything and getting out there really hit it home for me. Seeing pictures just doesn’t do Tucson and Arizona justice."

Kansas, Illinois, Memphis, Northern Illinois and Wyoming were some of the other schools that offered Baker and he took a trip out to Lawrence within the last week to see the Jayhawks.

After he had an opportunity to see campus and meet with UA's coaching staff it opened his eyes to what the staff has been selling him on up to this point, and now playing in the Pac-12 is his reality after Friday's decision.

"The amazing opportunity to play in the pac-12 and play for an incredible coaching staff while getting a great education," Baker said about what helped him make his decision.

Something that was key to Baker ending up as the Wildcats' third commitment of the 2020 class was Arizona's connection to the NFL through the various members of its staff. UA has multiple coaches on its staff who have played in the NFL, including Baker's future position coach.

DeVan's experience at the highest level did not sneak by Baker who said knowing UA has so many connections to the professional ranks made a difference in his recruitment.

"The coaching staff was fantastic, they were a solid reason to pick Arizona on top of many other awesome things," he said. "It’s an honor getting to know coach DeVan and the rest of the staff simply because most of them have either played in the league and have the experience or have coached at that level and I believe that is very special."

Houston-based offensive lineman Cedric Melton, who is currently in Tucson visiting UA, followed Baker's commitment with a pledge of his own with both players joining previous 2020 commits Will Plummer and Khary Crump.