‘Kid With Pro Talent:’ Javon Baker’s Former Coach Recalls Traits Patriots Fans Will Love

Javon Baker jumped off the page when Franklin Stephens took over as the head football coach at McEachern High School.

Both figuratively and literally, Stephens recalled.

"When I first met him, I thought he was a very talented, gifted kid," Stephens told NESN.com shortly after the New England Patriots selected Baker in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

"You're thinking in the back of your mind, 'Alright, this is a kid that has pro talent.'"

Stephens took over at McEachern prior to the 2019 season, a few months after Baker committed to Nick Saban's Crimson Tide (Nov. 2018). Baker, entering his senior campaign, already was regarded as one of the top receiver prospects in the country and Stephens believes he could have played safety at the Power 5 level, too.

"His ball skills were very, very good," Stephens said.

Baker stood out with his size (6-foot-1, 180 pounds) and movement. His fluidity, Stephens said, proved he was deserving of the commitment from the Crimson Tide.

"Those kids move different," said Stephens, who joined McEachern after he was a two-time All-American at Georgia Southern and coached two state championship teams at Tucker High School (Tucker, GA). Stephens left McEachern for his alma mater Burke High School last year.

"A lot of people believe they are whatever, but they don’t move the way the legit kids do. They don’t have the size the legit kids do sometimes," Stephens said. "Javon, he passed the look test and then it became 'What can he do?'"

Stephens had his question answered in short order. Because while Stephens saw a teenager who would joke around, he also saw the work.

"He took the football part serious," said Stephens, who specifically recalled offseason workouts from April to July.

Stephens then had a front-row seat for Baker's impressive practice reps and his 11 touchdowns for a 12-1 McEachern team littered with Division 1 prospects. It followed Baker's junior season when he compiled 1,100 yards and eight touchdowns.

"The stuff he used to do in practice -- sometimes he would make even better catches in practice than he would in a game," Stephens said.

The stuff he used to do in practice -- sometimes he would make even better catches in practice than he would in a game.

Franklin Stephens, Javon Baker's high school coach

Baker's two-year tenure with the Crimson Tide was underwhelming (nine receptions, 116 yards in 18 games). He was a freshman when DeVonta Smith caught 117 passes for 1,856 yards from quarterback Mac Jones in 2020. Baker then was a sophomore when Jameson Williams recorded 79 receptions for 1,572 yards with quarterback Bryce Young.

It prompted Baker to enter the transfer portal in January 2022. He initially committed to the Kentucky Wildcats before he ultimately joined the UCF Black Knights five months later.

UCF head coach Gus Malzahn was happy to land Baker, who he also recruited out of high school. Then at the helm of Auburn, Malzahn's Tigers were one the many teams -- Tennessee, Arkansas, Florida, Pittsburgh, Nebraska, South Carolina, Florida State, Ohio State, Georgia Tech -- to offer Baker out of high school.

"Just about every day in practice he would make a wild play," Malzahn told reporters of Baker, per Patriots.com. "One of those catches that you've just got to rewind, like 'Wow.'"

Stephens was excited to see Baker land in a better situation at UCF. Baker tallied 1,935 yards in 27 games for the Black Knights, including his senior season in which he finished with 1,139 yards on 52 catches with seven touchdowns.

"Based on what he did there, I think he's going to have a chance to translate to the pro level," Stephens said.

Stephens stressed Baker's physicality and explosiveness, traits he showcased at McEachern, as key reasons why he believes the 22-year-old will be able to carve out a role in New England.

"His overall ability to judge the ball in the air," Stephens said. "I've seen him make one-handed catches and snatch balls out of the air."

Baker's highlight-reel ability was talked about during the pre-draft process. It stood out to the Patriots, who are banking on Baker and second-round wideout Ja'Lynn Polk to aid the development of rookie quarterback Drake Maye.

"He can make a quarterback become better," Stephens said of Baker. "In high school, I would tell the guys, 'You have to help the quarterback out. He's not going to make every throw great.' Some throws are going to need to show a catch radius. I think Javon has a great catch radius, and how he can go get the ball, he’s going to help out a quarterback."

The Patriots clearly are banking on Baker, among others, to help jumpstart the new era. And at least one of his former coaches believes he can do just that.