Football: Baldwin gets drafted in the 1st round

Pitt wide receiver Jonathan Baldwin was drafted 26th overall by the Kansas City Chiefs Thursday… Pitt wide receiver Jonathan Baldwin was drafted 26th overall by the Kansas City Chiefs Thursday night.

Baldwin, who was on most experts’ draft board in the 2nd or 3rd round, became the first Panther to go in the first round since offensive tackle Jeff Otah was drafted 19th overall by the Carolina Panthers in 2008.

Last season, Baldwin finished the year with 53 receptions, 822 yards and five touchdowns. After a tumultuous offseason which included the Pittsburgh coaching shuffle, the standout wide receiver decided to declare for the draft.

At 6-foot-4, 228 pounds, Baldwin impressed scouts with his athleticism at the NFL combine. The combine – which is a series of drills to test players’ athleticism and skill individually – saw Baldwin run a 4.5 second 40-yard dash, finish 1^st in the vertical leap test for receivers when he hit 42.0 inches, and finish 4^th among receivers on the bench press with 20 reps.

His size and athleticism seem to be the most sought after features of his game.

Baldwin is also the first wide receiver to get drafted in the first round since Larry Fitzgerald in 2004, who went on to be a pro-bowl wide receiver in the NFL with the Arizona Cardinals.

Baldwin will be walking into a Chiefs program that is on the rise after making the playoffs last season for the first time since 2006 and will taking passes from pro-bowl quarterback Matt Cassel, who threw for 27 touchdowns last season.