Javon Baker Has Been Claimed by the Eagles, Putting Him in the Running for Worst Patriots Draft Pick Ever

How it began:

How it was:

How it's going:

When a franchise has been selecting players through some sort of a draft process for 65 years, and the first of those drafts in 1960 included more than 50 picks, one doesn't just casually slap a superlative on any single one of them. Except the "Best Ever," since that QB they took at No. 199 is nothing less than the best draft pick by any team in any sport ever. But all the other literally hundreds of picks the franchise has made can be debated as to how good, bad or average they were. 

And yet … there are some that rise above the others. That stand out from the pack as among the best or the worst of them all. Most recently, Cole Strange:

A first rounder who didn't get his fifth year option picked up, and is now on the bench in Cleveland can certainly make his claim as Belichick's worst ever. 

But at least Strange 69 started all of 29 career games and had three (undistinguished) seasons in New England. Javon Baker was the 110th pick, appeared in just 11 games, didn't make the roster in his second season, and has one career highlight. Coming on the last week of the season. To help win a game no one wanted to win. But the Buffalo Bills were more successful at losing it. In that one, Baker had one catch for 12 yards. Which I cannot find a video of, so let's simulate it with this preseason catch, also from Joe Milton:

If any one else can find that reception (3rd quarter, 6:12 on the clock), save it. If Baker never sees the field in Philly or anywhere else, that's his Moonlight Graham moment. 

Now, does this cement Baker's status as THE worst pick in franchise history? Or of the so-called Common Draft Era? Again, that's a tall claim. In my first book (cha-CHING!) I included this little gemstone of a story:

If Hollywood ever gets around to greenlighting "Boston Patriots: The Motion Picture," the ideal opening scene would be this one particular magical moment from their 1968 draft. It's the perfect establishing shot to illustrate just how bungling, amateurush, and intep team management was in those early days. 

They had the sixth overall pick, and with the entire front office and the Boston sports media gathered around, they used it on DE Dennis Byrd, out of NC State. Then called Byrd's home number to give him the great news, and put the head coach on speaker phone:

Holovak: "Is Dennis there, please?"

Answer: "He's not."

Holovak: "This is Mike Holovak, coach of the Boston Patriots, and I'd like to get in touch with him. Do you know where I can reach him?"

Answer: "The hospital." 

Holovak: "Hospital? What's he doing in the hospital?"

Answer: "He just had a knee operation." 

An exchange that could only have been more ridiculous if it went like this:

But even Dennis Byrd managed to play 14 games and record 3.5 sacks. Baker had as many Patriots career receptions as 6-foot-6, 320 pound OT Vederian Lowe. And one fewer touchdown. And in doing so, helped to lower the already failing grade of Eliot Wolf's Class of 2024:

So while we can't say definitively Javon Baker will go down in history as the worst ever. But if anyone they draft going forward challenges him for the throne, we won't be seeing a playoff team rise out of the ashes of these past few drafts any time soon.