R4/110 Javon Baker WR UCF

Garshaparra

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Feb 27, 2008
546
McCarver's Mushy Mouth
I don’t even remember who they picked last year
CGon made total sense as a guy who slipped and was perfect for the Belichick D. I gave him a pass there. After that though, it was ridiculous. OT was a far higher priority than any other position, and they didn't draft any at all. Unconscionable. Even hitting late on Pop, it was lousy.
 
Oct 12, 2023
744
CGon made total sense as a guy who slipped and was perfect for the Belichick D. I gave him a pass there. After that though, it was ridiculous. OT was a far higher priority than any other position, and they didn't draft any at all. Unconscionable. Even hitting late on Pop, it was lousy.
They clearly wanted Sow as a RT. Can certainly argue that was a bad evaluation but I don’t think they thought they neglected the position.

they added a lot of bodies at tackle last year, none worked out. It happens. It was a terrible draft for tackles as it was.

not spending more draft capital on tackle between Wynn and last year is a bigger problem if we’re going to complain about the handling of the tackle spot.
 

Norm loves Vera

Joe wants Trump to burn
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Dec 25, 2003
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I am late to watching this party and catching up. how many picks do the Patriots have left- 3? I don't remember in recent memory going all O or D this far in a Patriots draft, but under BB if it did over the last 20 years it was D
 

Garshaparra

New Member
Feb 27, 2008
546
McCarver's Mushy Mouth
They clearly wanted Sow as a RT. Can certainly argue that was a bad evaluation but I don’t think they thought they neglected the position.

they added a lot of bodies at tackle last year, none worked out. It happens. It was a terrible draft for tackles as it was.

not spending more draft capital on tackle between Wynn and last year is a bigger problem if we’re going to complain about the handling of the tackle spot.
Certainly agree with the prior years being the real problem, as 2023 was as bad for OT as this year is good. But while Sow did get tons of reps at RT in the preseason, he was pretty bad out there. The bodies added all came very late, after the preseason, as McDermott and Reiff went down, Onwenu continued recovery, and Calvin Anderson's mystery illness was still impacting him. These were desperate moves, not a plan.
 
Oct 12, 2023
744
Certainly agree with the prior years being the real problem, as 2023 was as bad for OT as this year is good. But while Sow did get tons of reps at RT in the preseason, he was pretty bad out there. The bodies added all came very late, after the preseason, as McDermott and Reiff went down, Onwenu continued recovery, and Calvin Anderson's mystery illness was still impacting him. These were desperate moves, not a plan.
Reiff, Anderson and Sow were plan A. Plus they had some carry over developmental guys from 2022.

Heading into camp, they had enough bodies to think they could piece together a passable (not great) group of tackles

Kind of like patching LT with a fringe castoff (Okorafor) and a developmental pick (Wallace). Not much different than Anderson + Sow

should the Pats have invested more premium capital in tackle from 2019-2022? Yes. But I don’t think the 2022 plan in isolation was bad. Everything just went wrong on the OL starting with Onwenu’s slow recovery, Anderson’s mystery illness and Strange’s early camp injury. The holdover developmental guys all flopped. Reiff got hurt. Then their desperation moves (Wheatley and Lowe) were both failures.

IMO the handling of LT under Wolf is as bad or worse given the relative value of those positions than BB’s RT plan last year but he seems to be getting a pass for it thus far.
 

rguilmar

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Jul 16, 2005
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Those Matt Waldman clips did my heart good.
Yeah, I get his RSP so I can get more acquainted with players the Pats draft. Baker is his WR17 but in a huge “starter” tier that begins at his WR5. Waldman himself is adamant that one should focus on tier not ranking.
 
Apr 7, 2006
2,598
Having just watched Javon with the N.E. media on Patriots.com, I have to say...he's kind of a weird guy. Maybe just nerves or something, but I think I should just stick to watching him catch the football. He's like the anti-Caeden Wallace in terms of maturity/thoughtfulness. Of course, I'd much rather watch Javon on the field than Caeden but...wow. Anybody else see this?
 

richgedman'sghost

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May 13, 2006
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They need to make jerseys for fans that say Touchdown Maker” on the back instead of Baker
I'm showing my age but in the late 1980s and early 1990s the Giants had a wide receiver named Stephen the Touchdown Maker Baker. Caught a TD in the Bill's Super Bowl. Come to think of it, I think he spent time in the slammer for some reason.
 

Ale Xander

Hamilton
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Oct 31, 2013
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I'm showing my age but in the late 1980s and early 1990s the Giants had a wide receiver named Stephen the Touchdown Maker Baker. Caught a TD in the Bill's Super Bowl. Come to think of it, I think he spent time in the slammer for some reason.
I remember him well

Bad guy was Ingram Sr. not Baker.
 
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RG33

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Nov 28, 2005
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I'm showing my age but in the late 1980s and early 1990s the Giants had a wide receiver named Stephen the Touchdown Maker Baker. Caught a TD in the Bill's Super Bowl. Come to think of it, I think he spent time in the slammer for some reason.
How dare you speak ill of a Fresno County Hall of Famer, Fresno State alum, and Angeleno native ?!?!

Seriously though, I don’t think the Touchdown Maker did any time. He was 5’8” playing WR in the 1980’s — he deserved absolute immunity.
 

Ale Xander

Hamilton
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Oct 31, 2013
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How dare you speak ill of a Fresno County Hall of Famer, Fresno State alum, and Angeleno native ?!?!

Seriously though, I don’t think the Touchdown Maker did any time. He was 5’8” playing WR in the 1980’s — he deserved absolute immunity.
And he was a gymnast at Fresno.

You know who speaks ill of Baker, FO

In 1992, according to Football Outsiders, Baker had the worst catch rate of any wide receiver from 19912011, catching only 28.8% of the passes thrown to him.
 

astrozombie

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Sep 12, 2022
433
I didn't know anything about Baker coming in, but count me among those who likes the confidence. Is it liable to burn him if he isn't very good? Sure. But after years of the (successful) BB Era of no one saying anything its kind of refreshing to have someone who will actually say something like "I want the damn ball and I'm going to score when I get it"
 

DJnVa

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Dec 16, 2010
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Lazar's film review: Film Review: Analyzing Fourth-Round WR Javon Baker's Fit in the Patriots Offense

Baker finished second in the FBS by averaging 21.9 yards per catch, and his 15 receptions over 20 yards ranked only behind first-round picks Rome Odunze (23) and Malik Nabers (19) last season.
This is a very explosive athlete with impressive fluidity to snap routes off vertical stems to create separation, ranking in the 99th percentile in receiving grade against single coverage, per PFF.
 

imnotbatman

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Apr 15, 2024
8
No idea how legitimate this writer is, but:

https://statsbomb.com/articles/football/reviewing-the-2024-nfl-draft/

One of the closest comparisons for Harrison Jr last season was Javon Baker from UCF. Taken in the 4th round by the Patriots, Baker was the 18th WR taken off the board. With so many great WRs in the draft, there were going to be some really good players who fell into the later rounds, and Baker fits into that category. Baker was one of the premier deep threats in the country. His 12.8 air yds/reception was slightly higher than Harrison Jr, and only 4 players had more targets with higher air yards. Baker was also similarly skilled after the catch, gaining over 6.5 yards after the catch/reception. With the Patriots drafting Drake Maye, and needing to fill some holes in the WR room, expect Javon Baker to get early opportunities to make some noise.
 

DJnVa

Dorito Dawg
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Dec 16, 2010
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Per the Lazar pod, his first name is pronounced like JAYvon. So the Pats, like the Celtics, have their J's.
 

astrozombie

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Sep 12, 2022
433
This guy could still be a bust and might get clowned but... damn I love his confidence. If he can even back it up by a fraction, I am going to enjoy watching him hauling in catches for the Pats.
 

jmcc5400

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Sep 29, 2000
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This guy could still be a bust and might get clowned but... damn I love his confidence. If he can even back it up by a fraction, I am going to enjoy watching him hauling in catches for the Pats.
When was the last time the Pats had a receiver with that level of swagger? Ochocinco (couldn't back it up)? Moss (could)?
 

ehaz

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Sep 30, 2007
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I love how the video went goes through the effort of censoring out all his f-bombs while the explicit rap lyrics just play in the background.
 

Petagine in a Bottle

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Jan 13, 2021
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How dare you speak ill of a Fresno County Hall of Famer, Fresno State alum, and Angeleno native ?!?!

Seriously though, I don’t think the Touchdown Maker did any time. He was 5’8” playing WR in the 1980’s — he deserved absolute immunity.
Maybe he’s thinking of Dave Meggett? He did and is doing time.