Top 30 Most Overlooked High School Recruits to Go Pro Since 2000
By Zach Bigalke
Doug Baldwin was a two-sport star at Gulf Breeze High School in Florida, competing in the jumping events in track and field in addition to playing receiver for the Dolphins. In his senior year, Baldwin hauled in 42 catches for 682 yards and six touchdowns. According to the 247Sports composite rankings of players from the class of 2007, this put Baldwin just 158th among receiving recruits. The two-star prospect found a lifeline in the form of new Stanford head coach Jim Harbaugh, who brought Baldwin to play for the Cardinal.
In Palo Alto, Baldwin played immediately, catching 11 passes for 93 yards. His main contribution was on special teams, where Baldwin returned 24 kickoffs for 555 yards. As a sophomore, he gained more playing time on offense but scaled back on special teams. He was relegated to the scout team as a junior after feuding with Harbaugh, but returned as a senior after injuries forced Harbaugh’s hand and responded with 58 catches for 857 yards and nine touchdowns. NFL teams remained skeptical of his temper, and he went undrafted in the 2011 NFL Draft. Seattle signed him as a free agent, and he has repaid the Seahawks with nearly 5000 receiving yards and 36 TDs in his first six seasons.