The New England Patriots rookie class is already making a strong impression on the veterans. Quarterback Jacoby Brissett in particular has been impressed with wideout Javon Baker.
Baker comes to New England on the heels of a productive season at UCF. He tallied 52 receptions for 1,139 yards and seven touchdowns. He was also named a First-Team All-Big 12 player. The talent is clearly there, and now it’s about translating it to the NFL.
Baker is doing just that early in OTAs. He made several strong plays in practice on Wednesday, and that caught the attention of the quarterback, who is going to be an important veteran mentor in the offense.
“Oh, man, he made a couple of plays today,” Brissett said, via NESN.com’s Sean T. McGuire. “He’s getting better. Obviously, somebody that we are looking forward to seeing what he can become. …Good route runner, good hands, can go up and make plays like he did today. We’re looking forward to see the more he can do.”
Obviously, there is still a lot of work to be done, particularly after the Patriots organization has struggled to develop wide receivers for quite some time. However, the positive reports and Baker’s immediate progress on the field are certainly a step in the right direction.