2025 Countdown to Kickoff: #2 – Byron Baldwin Jr.
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 194 pounds
Hometown: Baltimore, MD (Saint Frances Academy)
Class/Position: Freshman/Safety
True freshmen defensive backs are typically not ready to contribute in year one, particularly in the Big Ten for a school with hopes of challenging for the College Football Playoff. Add in a fantastic group of safeties and corners and it becomes incredibly tough for a freshman to crack the rotation. I’ve written that before and it applies to Byron Baldwin Jr. as well but if there was an IU freshman defensive back ready to contribute, it might be the 6’2” safety from Maryland.
Indiana won a knockdown and intense recruitment for the talented four-star prospect, beating out Penn State, Florida, Colorado, Virginia Tech and several others for his commitment. Baldwin played for Saint Frances Academy and was up against really strong competition all season long. He was measured with a +4 wingspan (meaning his wingspan is that of a 6’6” individual) and earned top performer honors at the Baltimore Under Armour Camp in back-to-back seasons.
247Sports analyst Hudson Standish wrote of Baldwin: “Processes the game at a high speed and is consistently quick to trigger. Always has been a cerebral zone defender, but has taken a massive leap as a senior in man-to-man coverage. Technically sound coverage defender with the physical traits and mentality to initiate collisions. Should be viewed as a prospect with the versatility to play early in his collegiate career, plus the long-term ceiling to develop into a potential NFL Draft selection”.
That is high praise for an incoming freshman and IU has Baldwin Jr. on the depth chart as a safety, playing behind guys like Amare Ferrell and Louis Moore. Baldwin Jr. actually looks like a perfect heir apparent to succeed Amare Ferrell either next season (if Ferrell heads to the NFL after this season) or in two years. For this season, he figures to get a lot of playing time against Old Dominion, Kennesaw State and Indiana State and then a decision will be made on whether to keep on playing him or utilize his redshirt season.
Byron Baldwin Jr. looks like a foundational piece for the future for Bryant Haines’ IU defense.
The Hoosier Huddle Countdown to Kickoff continues each and every day so be sure to check back often for the latest profile piece!