Film Room: Javon Baker

There was no hiding from the fact that Kentucky needed wide receiver help before entering the 2022 season. Alabama transfer Javon Baker will help fill that void in Liam Coen’s offense.

The Powder Springs (Ga.) McEachern product committed to the Wildcats on Friday. The Alabama transfer was a top-250 recruit in the class of 2020 that was an All-American Bowl participant and an MVP at “The Opening” Regionals in Atlanta thanks in part to a vertical jump of over 35 inches.

Baker would choose Alabama and joined a loaded wide receiver room in 2020 that included stars John Metchie III, DeVonta Smith, and Jaylen Waddle. After playing 21 games over the last two seasons, Baker entered the portal on Jan. 14 and will spend his junior season at Kentucky.

What exactly is Javon Baker bringing to the Wildcats? The transfer is an outside wideout with size, frame, and explosiveness. A vertical threat with eruptive leaping ability, Baker has the traits to win one-on-ones on the perimeter in both the intermediate and vertical passing game.

Now let’s step into the KSR Film Room to see those traits played out on tape.

Last season, Kentucky just did not have the personnel to lineup a receiver outside the numbers and trust him to make a play on a vertical ball. Javon Baker has that ability.

Facing some off zone coverage, Alabama quarterback Paul Tyson trusts his wide receiver to get to the spot and make a play. Baker does just that.

At the top of the route, Baker uses some hand fighting to create some last-second separation and then goes full extension on his jump. With a strong leap and length, the outside wideout creates a chunk play for the offense. Kentucky has not had a player that could lineup and create a completion on the outside like this in a long time.

However, going deep is not the only skill needed. From the outside, X receivers must go across the middle against zone coverage to give quarterbacks solid targets in throwing windows. The transfer can do that.

Facing what appears to be a Cover 3 look, Baker runs a glance route with five steps vertical before darting inside. That forces the cornerback to get depth and creates a throwing window for the offense.

Javon Baker settles in nicely behind the curl/hook defenders and makes a great adjustment to bring in a high throw. With positional size and a solid catch radius, the wideout can be a very valuable asset for Kentucky to utilize against zone looks.

In high school, Javon Baker was at his best when challenged on the perimeter. The prospect has sudden burst to create releases from press coverage at the line of scrimmage combined with contested-catch creation. That played out often in the Georgia prep ranks.

Lined up in the slot, the offense calls a switch release of the line. Baker has to fight through two defenders on the vertical route before seeing an off-target throw. Still, the receiver finds a way to make a grab.

Positional versatility, separation from man coverage, and ball skills all flashed in one rep. Javon Baker checks a ton of boxes for an outside wide receiver prospect.

At wide receiver, making plays happen with the ball in your hands is also a job requirement. Once the ball is caught, good things need to happen. The contested catches get all the attention with Javon Baker, but the transfer also has some juice when toting the rock.

On the reverse, Javon Baker flashes some change of direction with violent cut ability and vision to set up blockers. The big receiver will not get mistaken for Wan’Dale Robinson in the open field, but Baker has more than enough skill to become an effective yards after catch (YAC) performer.

Kentucky has done a great job recruiting the wide receiver position the last few years. The 2022 class has star power, and a few players could make an impact this fall. Yet, transfer portal help was needed to fill the gaping hole left by Robinson and Josh Ali.

The Wildcats added Virginia Tech transfer Tayvion Robinson to take over the slot position and give Kentucky a quality replacement for Robinson. Yet, at outside receiver, the Wildcats got away without having a difference-maker in 2021.

Javon Baker could be that guy for the offense in 2022.

The Alabama transfer played X receiver for the Crimson Tide and showed the ability to do some stuff in the slot for McEachern High. With strong burst on releases combined with contested catch ability on vertical routes, Baker checks some important boxes for the Kentucky offense.

The Wildcats just added one of the best wide receivers in this transfer cycle and a proven skillset that Kentucky simply does not have on the roster right now.

Will Levis just got another weapon to utilize in the passing game. Javon Baker could make a major splash in an offense that desperately needs someone to go out and win in isolation situations on the perimeter.

Kentucky just got more explosive.