LSU Football: Blake Baker’s Cleat Marks Are All Over Tigers’ Defense, Says New Edge Jordan Ross

By GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor

When Tennessee edge rusher Jordan Ross transferred to LSU after last season, he knew he would be playing for an established defensive coordinator in Blake Baker, who improved the Tigers’ defense in his first two seasons after turning around Missouri’s.

But he didn’t know he’d have to watch out for Baker’s footwork.

Garrett Nussmeier not taken through 1st 3 rounds. https://t.co/XzvjocaxZs

— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) April 25, 2026

“Yeah, he’s been juking me out,” Ross said during spring football player interviews on Thursday. “He juked me out when we were trying to get to the quarterback. He got me a couple of times.”

Baker did play linebacker at Tulane from 2000-04 and had six sacks in his career. And he comes to practice ready to run.

“You don’t expect the defensive coordinator to be in some cleats and just start jukin’ everybody, but he definitely got me,” Ross said. “To be honest, he kind of surprised me when he had the cleats on. I’m like, ‘Why does he have cleats on?’ Because I’m not really used to that. I remember the first day, he’s just running out there. I’ve never seen that before. And he’s just having a blast being out there with us.”

Ross (6-foot-5, 246) pounds is the one expected to be doing the jukin’ on the field this season for the Tigers. He signed with LSU as the No. 6 edge rusher in the portal in January. Coming out of Vestavia Hills High in Birmingham, Alabama, in 2024, he was the No. 9 player in the country, No. 1 edge and No. 3 player in Alabama.

Lane Kiffin LSU Portal Class Is No. 2 Nationally – Adds 1st Edge Rusher In Tennessee’s Jordan Ross

At Tennessee, he only scratched the surface, making 23 tackles with 3.5 for loss and 1.5 sacks as a backup in 2025. As a deep reserve in 2024, he had only three tackles.

“I’m just going to dominate, and we’re going to have more of them Ja’Marr Chases and Justin Jeffersons at LSU.”
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Baker, outside of his cleats, was one of the main attractions for Ross coming to LSU.

“I did my research on coach Baker and how he ran his defense, and that fit my playing style,” he said. “Cause havoc on the field. Try to have a bunch of punch-outs and a bunch of PBUs (pass breakups) and sack the quarterback.”

The Tigers complete spring practice with a closed scrimmage on Saturday in Tiger Stadium. Coach Lane Kiffin will hold his last spring football press conference on Tuesday.