The 2024 NFL Draft class of wide receivers comes equipped with high intrigue. Many in this group will be viewed as future No. 1 options for their teams or simply bolster a thin wideout room.
Where does Central Florida’s Javon Baker stand among this year’s crop of rookie receivers? Here’s a closer look at the incoming draft prospect, including his height, weight, past production, and, finally, scrutinizing his NFL potential.
How Tall Is Javon Baker?
Baker is not in the unicorn category as he isn’t a tower on the football field. However, he’s not on the diminutive side, either.
At 6’1 3/8″, Baker surpasses the league height average for receivers by an inch. NFL wideouts lately have averaged 6’0″ in height.
How Much Does Baker Weigh?
Baker brings a chiseled build.
By weighing in at 208 pounds, he passes the test as a well-sized target for whichever offense throws him the football in the future. He’s used that weight to his advantage as well on Saturdays.
Baker has broken through tackles before making a beeline to the end zone.
His mass and strength make him one of the harder wideouts to tussle down in the open field.
How Old Is Baker?
Baker is entering the league as one of the older wideout options for this class.
The 22-year-old was born Feb. 18, 2002. He even celebrated his birthday before competing in the 2024 NFL Combine.
MORE: Top WRs in the 2024 NFL Draft
Baker’s age is accompanied by having extensive experience in playing in three different conferences during his college football career.
What School Did Baker Go To?
Baker began his journey as a four-star recruit signing with Alabama in the 2020 recruiting class. He was also the state of Georgia’s 21st overall prospect, per 247Sports.
Baker got to hear the “Roll Tide” chants in Tuscaloosa, Ala., while suiting up for legendary national champion head coach Nick Saban. However, Baker was used minimally in a deep Crimson Tide offense that featured John Metchie III, Jameson Williams, Jaylen Waddle, and Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith.
Many college football fans know Baker as one of the more dynamic Big 12 wideouts after he transferred and became a member of the UCF Golden Knights, a program that made the transition to the Power Five in 2023.
Revisiting Baker’s College Career
Baker is one of the few NFL Draft prospects who played in three different NCAA conferences at the FBS level.
Baker transferred to Central Florida in 2022 during the Knights’ final season as an American Athletic Conference (AAC) member. Baker earned extensive action in UCF’s WR core and snatched 56 passes, 796 yards, and scored five times.
But he blossomed in 2023 while tasting the Big 12 along with UCF. Baker’s receptions may have dipped to 52, but he racked up 1,139 yards and averaged 21.9 yards per catch. He also improved his touchdown total to seven.
Baker broke out into one of the conference’s best deep threats while showing off a contortionist side to his grabs.
Baker proved he was built for the Big 12. All four of his 100-yard games were against conference foes: Baylor (113), Oklahoma (134), Oklahoma State (112), and Texas Tech (117).
How did Baker end up at UCF? Turns out one former SEC head coach and past rival of Saban, former Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn, stayed on Baker when he learned the WR was searching for a new CFB home.
“He recruited me when I was in high school,” Baker revealed in an Aug. 2022 interview with UCF Sports. “They had the same plan they had for me in high school [when he was recruited by Malzahn’s Auburn Tigers]. It’s the same plan they got for me now.”
That plan got Baker to eventually earn first-team All-Big 12 Conference honors by College Football Network. He also earned a Senior Bowl selection.
Baker’s Potential in the NFL
Baker took the leap of faith in playing for UCF after being in an Alabama room filled with future NFL wideouts. Has that decision turned him into one of the more coveted WRs for this class?
Pro Football Network draft analyst Ian Cummings doesn’t believe Baker’s overall game makes him Day 1 material. but he said Baker is capable of landing somewhere before selection No. 100 in the draft.
KEEP Reading: Ian Cummings’ Full Scouting Report of Javon Baker
“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,” Cummings said.
Cummings is a fan of how Baker attacks the football and how he comes with focus when the ball is trekking his direction.
“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,” Cummings said. “Baker has hyper-elite catching instincts — an amalgam of high-end body control, contortion ability, patience, reaction speed, timing, and hand-eye coordination.”
Lastly, Cummings noticed the powerful strength Baker shows in completing receptions and the damage he displays after the catch.
“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,” Cummings said.
Baker was in a loaded WR room in Tuscaloosa. He’s walking into a stacked rookie WR class as well, which explains why he’s not considered for first-round contention.
Still, Baker is likely to bolster someone’s receiving corps in the mid-round range.
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.
