The 2024 NFL Draft class is stocked to the brim with playmakers at the wide receiver position, and one of the biggest sleepers might be UCF’s Javon Baker.
What does Baker’s scouting report say about his projection at the NFL level?
Javon Baker Draft Profile and Measurements
- Height: 6’1 3/8″
- Weight: 208 pounds
- Length: 31 5/8″
- Wingspan: 78″
- Height: 9 5/8″
- Position: Wide Receiver
- School: UCF
- Current Year: Senior
Baker began his collegiate career at Alabama, where he can officially say he played in the same WR rotation as Jaylen Waddle, DeVonta Smith, Jameson Williams, and John Metchie III. But through two seasons with the Crimson Tide, he only logged nine receptions for 116 yards and a score.
In 2022, Baker transferred to get a fresh start, and as a former four-star recruit, he was a coveted asset. He chose to join up with the UCF Knights and immediately produced in 2022, racking up 56 passes for 796 yards and five scores.
What rhymes with Javon Baker?
PLAYMAKER 🔥🔥🔥
— College Football Network (@CFN365) November 19, 2022
In 2023, Baker took another big step forward, hauling in 52 catches for 1,139 yards and seven scores — averaging a whopping 21.9 yards per catch. That production led to a Reese’s Senior Bowl invite, which could grant him early-round looks.
Baker’s Scouting Report
Strengths
- Rocked-up receiving threat with great density, play strength, and proportional length.
- Has enough long-track burst to create separation past stems with room to work.
- Twitched-up, energetic short-area mover who can use his energy to displace defenders.
- Can weaponize his twitch and foot speed on split and diamond releases to displace DBs.
- Has the route-running leverage IQ to press upfield and manipulate blind spots.
- Can levy violent jab steps at stems, inducing hesitation in DBs while maintaining speed.
- Uses snappy short-area freedom and targeted physicality to create late-snap separation.
- Uber-instinctive hands catcher who naturally guides his hands to the ball past his frame.
- Incredible contortionist with hyper-elite body control and responsiveness to the ball.
- Can make effortless high-difficulty adjustments in-stride to corral off-target passes.
- Very comfortable freezing DBs by making late adjustments with his elite coordination.
- Can use his length to bar off defensive backs, before snaring passes with his vast catch radius.
- Compounds twitch with superb vision, feel, and spatial instincts as a RAC threat.
- Has good long speed when he has a longer runway to work with.
- Built well as a blocker and brings great effort when springing runs on the boundary.
Weaknesses
- Visibly lacks the deep speed to consistently stack defensive backs at the third level.
- Explosiveness is above average at best and doesn’t allow him to gain space instantly.
- Lack of high-end vertical speed limits his ability to displace DBs at stems at times.
- Lacks elite stopping ability on routes and sometimes drifts through comeback breaks.
- Doesn’t have elite short-area agility and visibly loses steam after violent cuts.
- Isn’t always able to pinch tight angles on breaks without taking time to recalibrate.
- Sometimes rounds off route breaks and lacks great curvilinear acceleration capacity.
- Has room for greater consistency with his route efficiency in the intermediate range.
- Can occasionally be prone to focus drops at sporadic frequencies.
- Despite his size and mass, doesn’t have great contact balance after the catch.
- Non-elite speed and burst may limit his ability to make late-snap separation in the NFL.
Current Draft Projection and Summary
Baker grades out as a fringe top-100 prospect in the 2024 NFL Draft. He’d be an exceptional value addition early on Day 3. With a good offseason, there’s a chance Baker sneaks into Day 2 range, but he provides notable appeal anywhere in the middle rounds.
At around 6’1 3/8″ and 208 pounds, with good length, Baker is well-sized as an NFL receiver, and he’s one of the most reliable weapons in the draft when it comes to converting at the catch point.
MORE: Top Wide Receivers in the 2024 NFL Draft
Baker has hyper-elite catching instincts — an amalgam of high-end body control, contortion ability, patience, reaction speed, timing, and hand-eye coordination. He also has the hand strength to haul in difficult passes amidst contact. After the catch, he’s tenacious, agile, and incredibly aware of his surroundings.
Baker’s catch-point prowess will ensure that he always has a role as a rotational WR at the very least. He also has promising ability as a route runner.
Baker can still strive for greater refinement with his stem work, but he’s an energetic release receiver with the spatial awareness to manipulate DBs in real time.
Baker’s biggest drawback is his visibly non-elite explosiveness and long speed. Athletically, his burst doesn’t separate him from NFL athletes, and he often needs a runway to gain any functional separation. He can compensate with his ability in other categories, but his ceiling may be limited as a result.
All this being said, Baker profiles as an exceptional rotational WR4 early on in his career, with the blocking utility to provide value on early downs and schemed targets for other receivers. With more development, he could become a quality movement Z receiver with a built-in appeal on money downs.
Draft with your friends today! PFN’s Mock Draft Simulator now supports multiple drafters during the same draft! Ensure your player rankings are up to date on the 2024 NFL Draft Big Board and you know what every NFL team needs before drafting.