Training camp success can disappear quickly once NFL teams reach September.
For one former Seattle Seahawks star, it turned into the beginning of one of the franchise’s best undrafted success stories.
ESPN revisited some of the league’s most memorable players to emerge from relative obscurity during training camp and the preseason, with former Seattle receiver Doug Baldwin getting the nod for the Seahawks.
Baldwin was ESPN’s choice for Seattle after arriving in 2011 as an undrafted free agent out of Stanford. His path was especially unusual because the NFL lockout prevented teams from signing undrafted rookies immediately after that year’s draft.
Once Baldwin finally got his opportunity, he didn’t need much time to make an impression.
He went from fighting for a roster spot in late July to leading Seattle in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns during the regular season.
More than a decade later, his first summer with the Seahawks is a useful reminder of what can come out of the bottom of an NFL depth chart.
Baldwin Went From Undrafted to Seahawks’ Top Receiver
GettyPALO ALTO, CA – SEPTEMBER 04: Doug Baldwin #89 of the Stanford Cardinal runs with the ball during their game against the Sacramento State Hornets to score a towndown at Stanford Stadium on September 4, 2010 in Palo Alto, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Baldwin entered the NFL with little-to-no security.
He had led Stanford in receiving yards during his senior season but went unselected in the 2011 NFL draft.
The lockout made the uncertainty worse.
Baldwin later recalled that he began applying for jobs after the draft, including pursuing an interview with Dropbox, because teams were unable to contact undrafted players.
The Seahawks eventually got their chance.
General manager John Schneider had already taken a particular interest in Baldwin.
According to Seattle’s retrospective on Baldwin’s career, Schneider sent him a handwritten letter during the lockout explaining why the Seahawks would be a good fit once teams were allowed to make moves again.
Seattle officially signed Baldwin on July 28, 2011.
From there, he had only a few weeks to show he belonged.
Baldwin earned his roster spot and quickly became considerably more than a depth receiver.
He finished his rookie season with 51 catches for 788 yards and four touchdowns, leading the Seahawks in all three categories.
The Seahawks noted that Baldwin became the first undrafted rookie since 1960 to lead his team in both receptions and receiving yards.
It proved to be the start of an eight-year run in Seattle.
Baldwin Became One of Seattle’s Best Undrafted Finds
GettyEAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – OCTOBER 22: Doug Baldwin #89 of the Seattle Seahawks scores a touchdown against the New York Giants during the third quarter of the game at MetLife Stadium on October 22, 2017 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)
The summer of 2011 was only the beginning.
Baldwin developed into a two-time Pro Bowl selection, a Super Bowl champion and one of the most productive receivers in franchise history.
He finished his career with 493 receptions for 6,563 yards and 49 touchdowns.
Seattle’s official franchise history ranks him in the top four in all three categories.
Baldwin also produced two 1,000-yard seasons, including a career-high 1,128 yards in 2016. His 14 touchdown catches in 2015 tied for the NFL lead.
None of it came with the expectations attached to a high draft pick.
Seattle didn’t even know whether Baldwin would make the 53-man roster when his first training camp opened.
Within a few months, he was the team’s leading receiver.
Within a few years, he had become an important part of a championship offense.
The Seahawks have continued searching for those types of finds, which makes Baldwin’s story relevant whenever the bottom half of the roster begins generating attention during training camp.
Most summer standouts won’t follow the same pilgrimmage.
Baldwin did, and ESPN’s recognition 15 years later shows how much came from those first few weeks in Seattle.
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