5 receivers Patriots can only hope fall to them in 2024 NFL Draft

5 wide receivers Patriots can only hope fall to them in the third round 

Javon Baker 

Baker spent two years at Alabama and then two years as a UCF Knight. Despite playing in 19 games during his two years at Alabama, Baker only caught nine passes for 116 yards. When he arrived in Florida, he immediately saw more action. In his first year with the Knights, Baker caught 56 passes, quite a significant upgrade in targets.

He racked up 769 receiving yards and caught five touchdowns. But his senior year was even better. In 13 games, Baker caught 52 passes, but he recorded 1,139 receiving yards at 21.9 yards per reception! He also caught seven scoring passes. 

After that impressive season, there was hope he would follow it up with a standout performance at the 2024 Combine, but his results disappointed.

His 4.54 40-yard time was in the 36th percentile of receivers and only made it into the 39th percentile with his 10-yard split. His best performance came in the vertical jump, where his 37-inch leap placed him in the 70th percentile. His arm span also saw him in the 70th percentile.  

Despite it all, Baker looks like former Bills receiver Stevie Johnson when he gets off the line and ties defensive backs in knots. He does an excellent job of getting open, even if that involves not sticking to the route he should be running (and that could be an issue with a rookie QB and new offensive line).

Unsurprisingly, with such an excellent vertical jump, there aren’t many in this class who can high-point a ball like Baker, either.

He’ll be great to watch wherever he lands in the draft. But he will need to develop some chemistry with his quarterback. After his good but not great combine showing, Baker is projected to go anywhere between the 70th and 95th picks.