Dennis Dexter Haysbert (born June 2, 1954) is an American film and televisionactor. He is known for portraying baseball player Pedro Cerrano in the Major League film trilogy, Secret Service Agent Tim Collin in the 1997 political thriller film Absolute Power, David Palmer on the American television series 24, Sergeant Major Jonas Blane on the drama series The Unit and Detective John Almond in Backstrom. He also appears in commercials for Allstate Insurance and has appeared in the films Love Field and Far from Heaven.