NFL Draft results 2024: Patriots pick Javon Baker, WR, UCF, in ...
The New England Patriots stayed on the offensive side of the ball for their fifth pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. With the 110th overall selection in the fourth round, they acquired wide receiver Javon Baker out of UCF.
Baker, 22, started his college career at Alabama but transferred to Central Florida after two seasons of uneven opportunity. His two years with the Knights, meanwhile, were more productive: appearing in 27 games, he caught 108 passes for 1,935 yards and 12 touchdowns, and was named a first-team All-Big 12 selection as a senior in 2023. Baker also was invited to both the Senior Bowl and the Combine.
A perimeter receiver who has shown an ability to make contested catches and stretch the field vertically, Baker was among the list of Patriots Top-30 visits before the draft. He brings a somewhat raw profile to the equation but adds another layer of depth at the wide receiver position.
The Patriots already picked one wideout in this year’s draft. With the 37th pick in Round 2, they brought Washington’s Ja’Lynn Polk on board.
In total, the Patriots now have selected five players in this year’s draft. They started with North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye with the third overall pick in the first round on Thursday, and on Friday added Polk as well as offensive tackle Caedan Wallace in the second and third rounds, respectively.
Earlier on Saturday, with the 103rd pick overall, they selected guard Layden Robinson out of Texas A&M.
New England is next scheduled to be on the clock at No. 180 in the sixth round.