Scouting Report: Jon Baldwin

When it comes to scouting Pittsburgh WR Jon Baldwin, you won’t find many other receiving prospects in this year’s draft that use their body to their advantage as well as he does. At 6’4”, 228 lbs., Baldwin is a big receiver who uses his long stride to beat cornerbacks down the field. He is also a great target in the red zone with his height and ability to beat defenders in jump-ball situations. As a junior in 2010, Baldwin put up solid numbers, catching 53 passes for 822 yards and 5 touchdowns, all with inconsistent quarterback play.  Here is an in-depth look at what Jon Baldwin does best, and some parts of the game he needs to work on.

Strengths

Catching the Ball in Traffic

This skill was probably the most impressive when watching Baldwin on tape. He has no fear going across the middle, even with multiple defenders in the area ready to throw their bodies at him. Yes, part of this can be credited to his unique size as a receiver. He can absorb hits in the middle of the field while still holding on to the ball. Some of it is simply a desire to catch the football, even if he has to pay the price with taking a big hit. And much of it has to do with his terrific body control. Whichever team drafts Baldwin is getting a physically gifted receiver who will go grab a pass anywhere on the field, no matter how tight of a window it is in.

Running After the Catch

When watching Baldwin after catching the ball, the first thing that anyone will notice is his stiff arm move on defenders. This move is usually most effective on plays in which he is used as the receiver in bubble screens. He does a great job of fighting for extra yardage after defenders get their arms around him. Baldwin is not a receiver a defender can tackle high if they expect to get him to the ground. He also does a great job of protecting the football when multiple defenders have him wrapped up.

Getting Separation Off of the Press

This is one of the most important skills a receiver can have and not many prospects in this draft are at Baldwin’s level when it comes to getting off the jam. He does a great job at using his 33 5/8 inch arms to get separation from corners that play the press on him, and then uses his acceleration to get in his route. You won’t see him being slowed at the line of scrimmage too much. It will be interesting to see how he does in this aspect of the game in the pros when he faces some bigger, more physical defensive backs.

Weaknesses

Playing the Deep Ball

Although Baldwin has some of the best physical abilities compared to any other receiver in the draft, he does struggle when the playing the ball in the air on deeper routes. He lets defenders easily get position on him and is not as aggressive as he should be when attacking the ball at its highest point. It almost seems as if Baldwin gets uncomfortable when he gets put in a jump ball situation with a defender. He needs to have better awareness of where the secondary defenders are when the ball goes up. I would like to see him be more aggressive in this aspect of his game.

Catching the Ball Away From His Body

Baldwin has great hands, but sometimes he doesn’t use them the way he should when catching passes. I noticed on tape a lot of opportunities he had in the middle of the field in which he let the ball get into his body instead of catching in front of himself with his hands. These actions sometimes led to bobbled passes or drops. Like his weakness of playing the deep ball, I would like to see Baldwin be more aggressive when catching the football and not let it come to him.

Agility After the Catch

As I mentioned earlier, Baldwin is fantastic at using his size to punish defenders after the catch. While that works to get extra yardage, he is not the most elusive runner after the catch. A lot of times he doesn’t seem comfortable with making quick cuts to get around linebackers and defensive backs and needs to be more aware of where defenders are when looking to get up the field. This is something he must improve on as he progresses in the NFL because every defender is that much quicker and that much more physical.

Projected Selection Round: 1-2

NFL Comparison: Hakeem Nicks, New York Giants