Michigan State Football: All-time Spartan team
Tight End: Chris Baker
As a kid, I remembered playing tight end for my fourth grade football team and wanting to be like Chris Baker. Even as a freshman in 1998, Baker was a solid contributor in the passing game and that was during a time in which tight ends weren’t exactly known for setting the world on fire — unlike the Rob Gronkowskis of today’s game.
Baker caught an impressive 22 passes for 305 yards and three touchdowns, making a name for himself early on. He was named to the 1999 All-Big Ten Second-Team after catching 38 passes for 391 yards and four touchdowns.
It’s kind of odd to realize that he wasn’t named to any All-Big Ten teams as a junior or a senior since those were his best seasons at Michigan State. The passing attack with Plaxico Burress and Chris Baker catching passes during that time had to have been killer for defenses.
In 2000, Baker had 33 catches for 461 yards and two touchdowns and then he finished his senior season with 40 receptions for 548 yards and four touchdowns. He ranks eighth all-time in receptions (133), 18th in receiving yards (1,705) and 12th in touchdown catches (13) in MSU history. He was drafted in the third round of the 2002 NFL Draft and finished his career with over 1,600 receiving yards and 14 touchdown catches.
Josiah Price, Charlie Gantt, Dion Sims and Kellen Davis all narrowly missed this position.
Next: Offensive Lineman(1)