From quarterback, Baptiste receives

Every team in the NCAA is bound to have some walk-ons, but not many of these turn into starters.

On an offense with a five-star (out of five) wide receiver in DeAndre Brown, a four star in Freddie Parham and several three and two star receivers, Gerald Baptiste has shone through and remained a starter for the Golden Eagles.

Baptiste came out of Edna Carr High School in New Orleans, La. as a virtual unknown, having played quarterback in high school.

"I didn't attend a whole lot of camps," Baptiste said. "I didn't have the exposure that some of the other athletes had."

But that didn't deter Baptiste from sending some tapes to Southern Miss, hoping to get a spot on the team to continue his football career.

"I always felt like I had the talent to be on a Division I team,"

Baptiste said.  "When it came down to it, I sent some game film up here, and they liked what they saw."

Baptiste was signed as a preferred walk-on at Southern Miss and was red shirted his first year so he could gain some experience at his new position.

"Coming out of high school, I played quarterback, but I was a little undersized for a Division I quarterback," said Baptiste. "So they brought me up here as a receiver.  It took me some time, so I took that red shirt year to develop my skills."

He developed his skills enough to become a starter on the team, as well as being an emotional leader, something that is not lost on the coaches or his fellow players.

"He's showed tremendous effort and tremendous work ethic," head coach Larry Fedora said.  "He is the leader of that group and he does a tremendous job for us. He's a team player."

Brown also had a lot to say on not only Baptiste's leadership skills, but how he's helped the young receiver's time on the team.

"Gerald's a very smart player," the 2008 Freshman All-American said.

"He knows everything about the offense as a receiver, so if you don't know too much about a new play, he encourages you on the field and lets you know what to do."

Starting quarterback Martevious Young said he knows he has a valuable target in Baptiste that he can go to when he needs a great play.

"I know I can rely on him if I need any kind of third down play," said Young. "I know I can come to him because he'll be there to make the play. It helps build my confidence knowing I have a player like that."

Baptiste's story is one that may be common in college football, but one not many hear about. The story of the underdog who makes it big is something you see on television and in the movies every day. Now, Southern Miss has an underdog gone big of its very own.

"When I came up here, I just kept working hard, and it paid off," said Baptiste.  "I went from a walk-on to a three-year starter on a Division I team.  Now, with God's grace, I want to take thatexperience to the NFL."