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LSU adds two linebackers to commitment total

Tuesday, July 31, 2007 By Mike Strom

LSU increased its football commitment total by two to 14 and addressed the area of outside linebacker in the process.

Kyle Prater of Tivy High School in Kerrville, Texas, and Ryan Baker of Blountstown, Fla., committed to the Tigers on Monday.

Prater, 6-feet-2, 215 pounds with 4.5-second speed in the 40-yard dash, is rated as the No. 50 outside linebacker prospect in the nation by rivals.com. Baker, 6-2, 210 pounds with 4.55 speed, is ranked No. 53.

Prater, recruited by LSU linebackers coach and special teams coordinator Bradley Dale Peveto, chose LSU over Oklahoma and Nebraska. He comes from a family that has produced three generations of college football players. His older brother John was a linebacker at Wyoming this past season. His father John played football at Kansas, and his grandfather John Sr. played at Oklahoma State.

Prater had 126 tackles in 2006, including 80 individual stops. Prater also recorded 10 tackles for losses, three sacks and intercepted one pass.

Baker, recruited by tights ends coach and recruiting coordinator Josh Henson, pledged his allegiance to the Tigers during an unofficial visit to Baton Rouge on Monday in which he was accompanied by his high school coach, Greg Jordan. Baker had more than 20 official offers, Jordan said, and chose LSU over Clemson and Florida.

"I like LSU and the tradition they have over there. It's LSU," Baker said via telephone during a pit stop in Mobile, Ala., during his 6 1/2-hour ride home to Blountstown. "I think I can come in and play pretty soon. They've got a defense with a lot of speed, and I think I have the speed to fit in."

About Miles, Baker said, "He's a cool dude. He tells me they're going to be making some big-time runs at some national championships, and he told me he thinks I can be a key ingredient in that."

Baker is entering his third year as a starter at Blountstown. He plays middle linebacker in a 4-3 scheme and is the fullback on offense. The Tigers have won 33 consecutive regular-season games. Baker had more than 130 tackles and 8.5 sacks as a junior.

Baker projects to be fully qualified academically, Jordan said, but presently lacks a test score.

"Ryan is a very fast kid, very strong," Jordan said. "He has great instincts as a linebacker. He's going to make somebody a great football player."

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