Javon Baker NFL Draft Profile
- College: Alabama, UCF
- College Position: Wide receiver
- Ideal NFL Position: X wide receiver
- Height/Weight: 6’2", 208 pounds
- Year / Age: Senior / 22
- Draft Projection: Third-fourth round
- Where I’d Take Him: Second round
Background
Javon Baker was a four-star prospect out of McEachern High School in Atlanta, Georgia. He was rated by Rivals as the 110th overall player and 20th wide receiver in the 2020 class. As a high school senior, he participated in Nike's "The Opening" Finals in Frisco, Texas, and in "The Opening" Regionals in Atlanta, where he earned MVP honors at wide receiver.
Baker committed to Alabama over the likes of Auburn, Florida, Florida State, and Ohio State. He saw action as a true freshman, but after only accumulating nine receptions for 116 yards in two seasons with the Tide, he transferred to UCF for his remaining two years of eligibility.
Baker made an immediate impact in his first year at UCF by leading the Knights in receiving yards (796) and ranking second in receptions (56) and touchdowns (5). He earned Second Team All-AAC honors from PFF, ending the year with a 72.4 overall grade (13th in the AAC).
UCF transferred into the Big 12 for his senior season and Baker didn't disappoint. He finished the season with 52 receptions for 1,139 yards and seven touchdowns, leading the Big 12 in yards on his way to first-team honors. His 21.4 yards/reception was the second-highest mark in the nation and his 82.9 PFF grade was second among Big 12 wideouts.
On Jan. 12, 2024, Baker accepted his invitation to the Reese's Senior Bowl.
Strengths
- Alpha WR who can beat press with a variety of release packages
- Insane body control to make acrobatic catches
- Strong hands to pluck the ball out of the air away from his body
- Big-play ability, evidenced by his 21.9 yards/reception in 2023
- Can create YAC with physicality and quickness
- Dominant at the catch point, turning 50-50 balls into 70-30 balls
- Quick in and out of his cuts, a great route runner underneath on slants
- Creates late separation with subtle movements downfield
- Should do well in the vertical jump at the NFL Combine
- Competitive toughness, doesn't go down without a fight
- Fluid mover for his size, quick in and out of cuts especially underneath and after the catch
Weaknesses
- Top-end speed is lacking, limiting his upside
- Can he be more than just a possession WR?
- A lot of contested catches on film, which doesn't always translate to the NFL
- Limited route tree, mostly slants and go routes
- Has strong hands but has shown concentration drops on tape (14 in last two seasons)
Final Thoughts and Chicago Bears Fit for Javon Baker
Baker is an old-school, physical, true X wide receiver who can beat press and make contested catches. Even when he's not open, he's open. Just throw him the ball and let his strong hands, body control, and playmaking ability take over to dominate the catch point. Baker uses subtle movements and head fakes at the stem to out-leverage defenders and create separation on underneath routes.
He was able to make plays downfield in college, but his long speed is adequate at best so it's fair to wonder if he will be able to do the same in the NFL. But even if he can't, he offers enough utility in other areas to be a secondary or tertiary option in the NFL.
In an extremely deep wide receiver class, it's difficult to stand out above the rest, and Baker has fallen victim here. That's not to say he's as good as the top guys, but he should be in the second-round conversation. We may see his name mentioned more often after the Senior Bowl.
As for a Chicago Bears fit, this is where things get interesting. The Bears have a decision to make at quarterback, and that decision will directly influence the wide receivers they target.
Justin Fields needs to see separation before throwing, and Baker excels in contested catch situations. So if the Bears stick with Fields, they'll probably want to targer a different style of wide receiver.
However, Caleb Williams isn't afraid to throw into tighter windows and throw with more anticipation. In turn, Baker would make more sense as a Bears target if they pivot to Williams as their quarterback of the future.
Regardless, Baker should go somewhere on Day 2 of the 2024 NFL Draft and will be a top 50-75 player on my board.
Pro Comparison: Michael Crabtree
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