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After serving jail time, ex-Auburn WR Baker eyes NFL

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Posted: Friday May 14, 1999 05:37 PM

MOBILE, Ala. (AP) -- Former Auburn receiver Robert Baker, who was paroled in March after serving 10 months of a 15-year sentence for drug trafficking, will make a bid to get into the NFL through the supplemental draft.

"He weighed his options and he felt this was the best thing for him to do, to go to the NFL," agent Rick Davis told the Mobile Register.

Davis, who is also former Auburn coach Terry Bowden's lawyer, told the newspaper he had been retained by Baker.

Baker briefly considered regaining his eligibility to play for Auburn this fall as a fifth-year senior, but he dropped out of school this week.

"I told him he would enhance his position in the draft if he went back to school," said Davis. "We didn't recruit him. This was his decision."

Baker, 23, of Gainesville, Fla., hasn't played football in three years. He led Auburn with 1,174 all-purpose yards in 1996, including 526 yards receiving. He was sentenced in May 1998 after pleading guilty to trafficking cocaine, but the mandatory three-year sentence for trafficking was waived.

Davis said he has talked to a number of NFL personnel about Baker, but admitted many appear skeptical. "He's a question mark," Davis said.

The supplemental draft will be held in June or July.

Bruce Lemmerman, director of college scouting for the New Orleans Saints, said Baker's reputation may hamper his efforts to gain recognition.

"For our football team, we wouldn't mess with him," Lemmerman said. "Does he get an opportunity? It will be hard. How do you sell it to your fans? They're going to look at this guy's past."

Baker did not return phone calls to the Register seeking comment.

Shortly after he was paroled, Baker contacted Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville about rejoining the team. Tuberville, who never ruled out Baker's returning, said he told him to get back in school.

"I just wanted to make sure he had an opportunity to get back into mainstream life," Tuberville said. "Somebody needed to throw out a hand and help him."

Davis said he signed Baker on Bowden's recommendation and only after a number of conversations with him.

 

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