06-23-2022, 04:47 PM
Three-dimensional analysis on Baklenko:
Services: 247 composite #923 (#83 OT), On3 composite #1005 (#72 OT), 247 #48 OT, On3 #48 OT, Rivals 5.5 (same grade as Jesse Burkett, Johnny Caspers, Tyler Mabry, John Kyed, Andrew Phillips, Chris Marinelli, Ben Muth), ESPN NR
Offers: Stanford, Boston College, UCLA, Arizona, Arizona State, BYU, Cal, Colorado, Duke, Fresno State, Maryland, Oregon State, San Diego State, Washington, Washington State
Production: As a junior for Oaks Christian against good competition, he was credited with 43 pancake blocks compared to 36 for the rest of the roster combined (only two other players broke single digits). This stat hasn't been tracked for Oaks Christian linemen all that long, but I couldn't find a higher mark the last several years. The junior campaign was reportedly his first as a starter. The highlights show him playing left tackle and feature a variety of looks - pass protection, run blocking, pulling, getting to the second level, disengaging from one rusher to pick up another, etc. Lots of variety and effectiveness. There is also a whiff of nasty, though not at the extreme end of the evident nastiness spectrum. With Oaks Christian being a 58/42 pass/run balance offense there's an unusual amount of balance and, in particular, pass protection experience compared to many high school offenses. The last highlight is a fun one - a disastrous play for Oaks Christian, a 99 yard pick six victimizing the Lions in which Baklenko gamely chased 4-star Chaminade safety Marquis Gallegos all the way down the field, never catching up but nonetheless running down the field and being closer in pursuit than any other Lion. Just an effort/speed-for-a-lineman kind of highlight. The junior year (spring 2021 due to the pandemic) highlights show him at right tackle, presumably in backup duty (and some are definitely with Oaks Christian backups). Baklenko also plays volleyball. [Heffernan had a super clever tweet today celebrating the Tunnel Workers Union commitment that ended with "Set and SPIKE," which is a double entendre referencing volleyball but also the railroad/tunnel metaphor.]
Nice to get on the board at a position that has been weak for us this cycle. There are two ways to look at it. One is that this is an extremely low profile lineman by Stanford standards. We don't usually shop in this part of the store, or at least haven't made a habit of it during the Harbaugh and Shaw years. Another is that this may be a late bloomer we did well to get in the class. The profile by the recruiting service lights is not impressive, but he was nowhere on radars half a year ago and in less than five months got nine Pac-12 offers. At minimum, this is a no doubt about it Pac-12 lineman. Nine Pac-12 offers in five months following the junior season may indicate better, and I wouldn't be surprised if one or more services bump him up to a more respectable grade. While I'm not pleased with the current state of Stanford OL recruiting, the spring of junior year offer flurry coupled with the 43 pancakes and nice highlights makes me think that the best read here is a late bloomer who is promising, certainly more attractive than the recruiting service rankings suggest. And we definitely need to get several quality linemen in this class so this is a start and worth celebrating.
Services: 247 composite #923 (#83 OT), On3 composite #1005 (#72 OT), 247 #48 OT, On3 #48 OT, Rivals 5.5 (same grade as Jesse Burkett, Johnny Caspers, Tyler Mabry, John Kyed, Andrew Phillips, Chris Marinelli, Ben Muth), ESPN NR
Offers: Stanford, Boston College, UCLA, Arizona, Arizona State, BYU, Cal, Colorado, Duke, Fresno State, Maryland, Oregon State, San Diego State, Washington, Washington State
Production: As a junior for Oaks Christian against good competition, he was credited with 43 pancake blocks compared to 36 for the rest of the roster combined (only two other players broke single digits). This stat hasn't been tracked for Oaks Christian linemen all that long, but I couldn't find a higher mark the last several years. The junior campaign was reportedly his first as a starter. The highlights show him playing left tackle and feature a variety of looks - pass protection, run blocking, pulling, getting to the second level, disengaging from one rusher to pick up another, etc. Lots of variety and effectiveness. There is also a whiff of nasty, though not at the extreme end of the evident nastiness spectrum. With Oaks Christian being a 58/42 pass/run balance offense there's an unusual amount of balance and, in particular, pass protection experience compared to many high school offenses. The last highlight is a fun one - a disastrous play for Oaks Christian, a 99 yard pick six victimizing the Lions in which Baklenko gamely chased 4-star Chaminade safety Marquis Gallegos all the way down the field, never catching up but nonetheless running down the field and being closer in pursuit than any other Lion. Just an effort/speed-for-a-lineman kind of highlight. The junior year (spring 2021 due to the pandemic) highlights show him at right tackle, presumably in backup duty (and some are definitely with Oaks Christian backups). Baklenko also plays volleyball. [Heffernan had a super clever tweet today celebrating the Tunnel Workers Union commitment that ended with "Set and SPIKE," which is a double entendre referencing volleyball but also the railroad/tunnel metaphor.]
Nice to get on the board at a position that has been weak for us this cycle. There are two ways to look at it. One is that this is an extremely low profile lineman by Stanford standards. We don't usually shop in this part of the store, or at least haven't made a habit of it during the Harbaugh and Shaw years. Another is that this may be a late bloomer we did well to get in the class. The profile by the recruiting service lights is not impressive, but he was nowhere on radars half a year ago and in less than five months got nine Pac-12 offers. At minimum, this is a no doubt about it Pac-12 lineman. Nine Pac-12 offers in five months following the junior season may indicate better, and I wouldn't be surprised if one or more services bump him up to a more respectable grade. While I'm not pleased with the current state of Stanford OL recruiting, the spring of junior year offer flurry coupled with the 43 pancakes and nice highlights makes me think that the best read here is a late bloomer who is promising, certainly more attractive than the recruiting service rankings suggest. And we definitely need to get several quality linemen in this class so this is a start and worth celebrating.