There have been a lot of great Pitt wide receivers, and there have been a lot of great Pitt men who hail from Aliquippa, Pa. Jon Baldwin just happens to be both.
Baldwin, a former five-star recruit from Aliquippa High School, who is one of the greatest athletes to come out of the area this century, is back in Pittsburgh to serve as the honorary captain against No. 4 Florida State today.
“Today’s honorary captain is another hometown hero who went from Aliquippa to Pitt to the NFL,” Pat Narduzzi wrote on Twitter. “Let’s welcome home Jon Baldwin.”
Baldwin, who starred on the court and on the field at Aliquippa, stayed home at Pitt and developed into one of the best wide receivers in college football over his three years as a Panther.
He broke out as an All-Big East and All-American wide receiver in 2009, hauling in 57 passes for 1,111 yards (19.5 yards per reception) and eight touchdowns, and he finished his Pitt career with 128 receptions for 2,337 yards (18.3 yards per reception) and 16 touchdowns.
As it stands, Baldwin is eighth all-time in receiving yards (with the seventh-best single season) in program history.
The Kansas City Chiefs would go on to select Baldwin with the 26th pick of the 2011 NFL Draft, and while he never lived up to that first round selection, he recorded 44 receptions for 607 yards (13.8 yards per reception) and two touchdowns over three seasons.
Baldwin joins the likes of H.B Blades, Darrelle Revis, Larry Fitzgerald, Lamar Slade, Pat Bostick and Darrin Hall to serve as Pitt honorary captains so far this season.
Pitt and Florida State are scheduled to kick off at 3:30 p.m. at Acrisure Stadium, with the game being broadcast on ESPN (and called by Pitt man Louis Riddick) for those who are unable to attend.
