Michigan Football: Transfer Daylen Baldwin is perfect for Wolverines

Michigan football landed transfer wide receiver Daylen Baldwin on Monday and here’s why he’s the perfect addition for the Wolverines. 

Michigan football fans are allowed to have mixed feelings about the transfer portal. Last week, the Wolverines missed out on a key target in Jay Toia, but this week, things went in the opposite direction.

After hosting wide receiver Daylen Baldwin last week, Michigan football offered the 6-foot-3 wide receiver from Jackson State and on Monday, Baldwin who also got an offer from Ohio State pledged his commitment to the Wolverines.

Baldwin who is originally from Farmington, Michigan tweeted the caption, “Hometown Hero,” with his picture in a Wolverine uniform.

As disappointing as it was to miss out on Toia, a highly-ranked defensive tackle, this will provide a nice boost to the offense in 2021, and here’s why Baldwin is a perfect fit.

An ideal role

Michigan football could offer Baldwin something Ohio State couldn’t and that’s a guaranteed role next season. Michigan has Ronnie Bell back next season and Cornelius Johnson shows signs of being a breakout player, and Baldwin could be the ideal complement on the outside.

Bell does most of his work in the slot, while Johnson, another 6-foot-3 wideout showed talent, especially going down the field. He should play outside as will Baldwin, leaving the slot for Bell and also A.J. Henning.

While Baldwin is coming from Jackson State of the FCS, he was SWAC Newcomer of the Year after catching 25 passes for 520 yards and seven touchdowns in just six games. That’s an average of 20 yards per reception and certainly bolsters the 2021 depth chart.

There’s no question Michigan would love to have Xavier Worthy still, but that’s not a reality. This move adds another key option on the outside and one with big-time potential — something the Ohio State offer alone tells us.

Christian Dixon, Roman Wilson, and Andrel Anthony are young receivers looking to play their way onto the two-deep this season but it won’t be easy.

And that might be a good thing for the Wolverines. If those guys prove to be good enough, then so be it. But Baldwin has proven his ability to produce at the college level and it’s my prediction that he’s a game-one starter (calling all three WRs starters).

If you watch his highlights, you are going to get really excited for the wide receiver group next season. Overall, he’s the third addition to Michigan from the transfer portal. The others were defensive tackle Jordan Whittley and also former Texas Tech quarterback Alan Bowman.