Football: Ohio State linebacker Jerome Baker taken No. 73 overall by Miami Dolphins in third round of NFL draft

Colin Hass-Hill
Sat, 28 Apr 2018 01:42:29 +0000
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Ohio State junior linebacker Jerome Baker warms up prior to the Buckeyes’ season-opening 49-21 win over Indiana on Aug. 31 in Bloomington, Indiana. Credit: Colin Hass-Hill | Sports Editor

Former Ohio State linebacker Jerome Baker has been selected as the No. 73 overall pick in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins.

This is the third straight year in which an Ohio State linebacker has been selected in the draft. The Dolphins selected Baker’s now-teammate Raekwon McMillan in the second round of the 2017 Draft. Darron Lee and Joshua Perry were picked in the first and fourth rounds, respectively, in 2016.

A two-time honorable mention All-Big Ten honoree, Baker led the Buckeyes with 72 tackles last season. The former four-star recruit out of Cleveland recovered two fumbles in 2017 with eight tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks.

Baker announced his intention to forgo his final season of eligibility to enter the NFL Draft on Jan. 8, then ran a 4.53 40-yard dash — the fourth-best among linebackers — at the NFL combine. He also placed in the top 10 at his position group in bench press and vertical jump.

The Dolphins open up the 2018 season on Sept. 9 against the Tennessee Titans.