So with the lockout still in full effect and no football activities currently going on to speak of, I thought I would do a write up on the player I most look forward to seeing in Chiefs red when practices do start and that’s Jon Baldwin. The Chiefs made Baldwin their first selection in this year’s draft at 26 overall to the surprise of some with the lack of depth on the O-line. I’m here to tell you that this was a great pick for the Chiefs and this guy will have an instant impact on the offense.
Baldwin has great size for a receiver at 6’5 225 and can really run, not just for someone his size, but Baldwin is a legitimate deep threat. He runs good routes, makes all the routine catches and has great success in jump ball situations down the field thanks to his size and athleticism. He will help the Chiefs offense by at first being a great compliment to D-Bowe, but down the line I see him being a legitimate number 1 receiver.
Baldwin’s size leads me to believe that with NFL coaching and a little work on technique he should be able to be a good run blocking receiver as well. That works out great with the fact that the Chiefs best player, Jamal Charles, is an outside the tackle style runner. If defenses try and compensate by putting 8 guys in the box, you are leaving single coverage on Baldwin and Bowe and with the improvement of Cassel and the quickly developing Tony Moeaki, the Chiefs offense should be one of the best units in football.
During the draft there was a lot of harsh criticism of Baldwin for “character issues.” This is where I have a serious problem with what draft analysts put out there. These guys who are doing evaluations and scouting don’t truly know who Jon Baldwin is as a person. Just because of one incident in college, that which should be pointed out that the charges were dropped, does not mean that this guy isn’t a hard working, high character individual capable of producing at the highest level. Other reports I’ve read by people who do not wish to spend the time doing there due diligence as a reporter will just go off of what the skinny on the guy is and that was an unfair label on a guy who has done nothing wrong.
Ever since being drafted, Baldwin has been nothing but impressive. I follow his tweets and I have seen nothing more than I’m working hard, I’m ready to get on the field or I’m going to help out in Joplin, MO, a place he has already been to more than once. So here is a guy, straight out of college, hasn’t gotten his pay day yet, and he does nothing but the right thing by being in great shape and doing whatever he can to help out the local community and get to know his teammates and people try to doubt him because of one incident. Please show me evidence of character issues since being drafted. You won’t find them, because the rap this guy has is wrong.
A little bit ago when the Chiefs players held their own 3 days of practice, Baldwin was out there and was said to be the most impressive guy on the field. He was described as being a physically gifted freak, which is music to my ears. Baldwin stayed at the home of Matt Cassel during the work outs and it seems the two have already started to establish a relationship so they are ready when the time comes and it is time to strap it on and hit the field. That to me doesn’t sound like a guy who has character flaws. That sounds like a player that is hungry to prove everyone wrong and come in and play at the highest level possible. He has been working out with the best receiver and best corner in the league in Larry Fitz and Revis Island, both Pitt grads. Hopefully he is the next one behind those guys and I fully believe he is.
I caught more Pitt games than most here in KC, probably due to my invested interest in a lot of Big East football due to the lack of quality opponents for the good teams like Pitt and Vegas didn’t show the panthers a whole lot of love when it came to the lines. So yes, usually I had other forces driving me to watch the Panthers, but I learned a couple things in doing so this year. First, Dion Lewis is an undersized back and will struggle to ever make an impact on an NFL squad. Second, Tino Sunseri is not a quarterback and yet I was still impressed by who he was throwing it to. If not for Baldwin Sunseri’s numbers would have been worse, if that was possible. You couldn’t help but notice #82 standing out on the field every time the offense was out there. Anytime they needed a big first down, Baldwin was there to make it. He seemed like he was in another league than everyone else. It didn’t take much to realize this guy was going to be a real threat on Sunday’s and I’m elated that it will be done in a Chiefs uniform.
So throw out all the crap you read about Jon Baldwin not being a high character guy and form your own opinion on what he does from here on out. I think we will all be pleasantly surprised.
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