Georgia CB Deandre Baker to Skip Sugar Bowl vs. Texas Ahead of 2019 NFL Draft

Georgia Bulldogs defensive back Deandre Baker is skipping the Sugar Bowl against the Texas Longhorns, Georgia head coach Kirby Smart confirmed Thursday.

"Across the country you've got players making that decision and it really weighed heavy on that kid," Smart said, per Anthony Dasher of UGASports.com. "He came and told us and we said we would support him."

Earlier this month, Baker won the Jim Thorpe Award, which goes to the best defensive back in college football. The senior finished with 40 total tackles, two interceptions and nine passes defended in the regular season.

Prior to winning the Thorpe Award, Baker indicated he planned on suiting up one more time for Georgia.

"I'm playing in the Sugar Bowl," he said, per Marc Weiszer of the Athens Banner-Herald. "I just wanted to finish it right with my teammates that's all. I want to finish with a W with my team for my last game as a Bulldog."

However, Baker is following many others in skipping his team's bowl game in order to focus on the 2019 NFL draft. Stanford's Bryce Love, West Virginia's Will Grier, Michigan's Rashan Gary and Houston's Ed Oliver are among the notable players who exercised that option.

Baker is widely considered to be a first-round prospect. In his most recent big board, Bleacher Report's Matt Miller ranked Baker 13th overall and listed him as the third-best cornerback behind LSU's Greedy Williams and Clemson's Trayvon Mullen.