Kansas City Chiefs select receiver Jonathan Baldwin in NFL Draft

The Chiefs attacked their biggest positional need with their first-round pick, drafting University of Pittsburgh wide receiver Jonathan Baldwin.

The 6-foot-4, 228-pound Baldwin played three seasons at Pitt. He had a big sophomore season, catching 57 passes for 1,111 yards and eight touchdowns before slumping to 53 catches, 822 yards and five TDs as a junior.

"He had a big sophomore year,'' Chiefs coach Todd Haley said. "(Pittsburgh) struggled in general this past year, which always hurts a receiver. Maybe he fell off the radar a little bit, so to speak.

"I'm excited to see what Jonathan Baldwin will become. He's an exceptional talent.''

The pick came with the 26th overall choice. The Chiefs sent their original first-round pick, 21st overall, to Cleveland. In return, they acquired a first-round pick, 27th overall, and a third-round choice from the Browns.

Cleveland used that pick on a defensive tackle, Phil Taylor from Baylor.

The Chiefs used the 26th pick on Baldwin after the Baltimore Ravens, who had the 26th pick, passed ahead of the Chiefs.

"It's a dream come true,'' said Baldwin, who visited with the Chiefs in Kansas City before the draft. "I'm a very hard worker. I bring big-play ability to the Chiefs. I'll give it everything I have and I'll do everything the Chiefs ask me to do.''

Asked what his strengths are, Baldwin said, "Attacking the football, catching the football with my hands, (getting) down the field, (making) big plays, using my bigger body to box out smaller defensive backs.''

Haley said Baldwin was in a pool of players the Chiefs were considering with the 21st pick before they dealt the choice to Cleveland.

"We get to that spot and there were a number of players that we were real excited about taking at that point,'' Haley said. "And then the phone started to buzz a little bit.''

The Chiefs passed on, among other players, offensive lineman Gabe Carimi of Wisconsin, who could play either tackle or guard.

Obviously, they believed wide receiver was a bigger need. At that position, they have Dwayne Bowe, who had a breakout season last year and reached the Pro Bowl.

But they searched all of last season for a second wide receiver without success, going from veteran Chris Chambers to rookie Verran Tucker to veteran Kevin Curtis.

"That's a great thing to have,'' Baldwin said of a possible pairing with Bowe. "I don't know too much about him. I know he was a great receiver last year, went to the Pro Bowl. When I get in there, I'll learn as much I can about him and soak in as much as I can from him.''

Like Baldwin, Bowe is big for a receiver at 6-2 and 221 pounds.

"He's bigger than Dwayne,'' Haley said of Baldwin. "They're both big, strong guys that can run.

"Receiver in this league has kind of been transformed through the years to now. We're seeing some guys of exceptional size, not what you'd generally picture a receiver as being back a handful of years ago.''

The second and third rounds of the draft will be held today. The Chiefs have one pick in the second round, which is 23rd in the round and 55th overall. They have two choices in the third round, sixth and

22nd in the round and 70 and 86 overall.

This story was originally published April 28, 2011 at 10:21 PM with the headline "Kansas City Chiefs select receiver Jonathan Baldwin in NFL Draft."