The New England Patriots selected former UCF wide receiver Javon Baker with the No. 110 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Baker was the 18th receiver drafted. He was NOT pleased to be drafted so much later than he expected.
"No way in [expletive] America [are there] 10 [wide] receivers better than me," Baker said live on social media. "[You must be] outta your [expletive] mind," Baker concludes in a video that runs less than 10 seconds.
Javon Baker speaks on what he brings to New England pic.twitter.com/T73MQeu7jN
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 27, 2024
Baker appeared to be in the middle of a heated workout. He possesses the potential to be an immediate contributor to the Patriots' offense throughout 2024.
The Patriots entered the offseason desperately searching for playmakers at receiver. That necessity reached new levels when they used the third overall selection on quarterback Drake Maye.
Baker wasn't even the first receiver drafted by the Patriots. They took Washington’s Ja'Lynn Polk at No. 37 overall. Polk and Baker are joining a crowded room that lacks high-end producers. Kendrick Bourne, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Jalen Reagor, and K.J. Osborn are the veterans present. Recent draft picks such as Kayshon Boutte, DeMario Douglas, and Tyquan Thornton are also in the fold. There is plenty of competition for spots. Baker has a ceiling as high as any of the receivers on the roster.
A former Alabama transfer who spent the previous two seasons at UCF, Baker exploded in 2023. The Atlanta, Georgia native recorded 52 receptions for a career-high 1,139 yards and seven touchdowns. Baker averaged an explosive 21.9 yards per catch.
The advanced metrics paint an even brighter picture of Baker's potential. The ability to defeat press-man coverage is imperative to a rookie receiver's acclimation. Baker averaged 3.46 yards per route run versus press man coverage, which ranked fourth among all draft-eligible receivers. That number increases to a third-best 4.89 yards per route run when adjusting the data to single-man coverage, per Football Insights.
As the Patriots patiently wait for a WR1 to emerge in a new-look offense, Baker is familiar with being a focal point. He accounted for 35.4% of UCF's receiving yards when on the field according to TruMediaSports. That also ranked fourth among draft-eligible receivers.
The tape aligns with the analytics. Baker is a nuanced route-runner who routinely separates from coverage, but also possesses the capability to thrive in contested-catch situations with a QB-friendly radius. Baker's natural instincts for playing the position allow him to track in-flight balls with relative ease.
Baker utilizes a variety of releases to put opposing cornerbacks in a blender. He's an alpha who dictates routes by stemming defensive backs and winning the leverage battle. Baker is physical at the top of routes, pairing play strength with quality stop-start quickness.
Surrounding Maye with talent is of the utmost importance. New head coach Jerod Mayo and his regime will be defined by Maye's success and how they invested in his development at quarterback. Baker appears to be a fourth-round steal as a receiver that could develop into Maye's go-to target.
