Full interview: Why transfer WR Daylen Baldwin picked Michigan football over Ohio State and more

While it’s something of a homecoming, former Farmington (MI) and Waterford (MI) Mott alum Daylen Baldwin didn’t have his eyes set on Michigan when he entered the NCAA transfer portal. In fact, one of Michigan’s chief rivals was his childhood favorite — yet he spurned them to wear maize and blue.

When he made the decision to transfer, Baldwin admits he didn’t set his sights high enough initially, but when the big schools came calling, he realized that much more about his potential, at least at the college football level.

That’s not to say, however, that he doesn’t know what he brings to the table. He’s not shy about wanting to showcase his talents to the world at large. He knows he has skills beyond what many receivers already have.

WolverinesWire spoke with Baldwin about his commitment to Michigan, what it was like going through the transfer portal process, becoming a breakout player this past year, playing under Deion Sanders and what he’s most excited about when it comes to wearing maize and blue.

Here is everything he told us.

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What was your journey like going from Michigan high schools to Morgan and Jackson State to Michigan?

"For me, it was all just working. It wasn't like I was aiming for this, it was the work I was putting in. Just grinding, I just kept pushing through, honestly. For me, it was the process of working, doing that. It's exciting based on the fact that I see, for a long time I felt like the work was paying off to an extent, but it wasn't really paying off how I wanted it to. Now, the whole world is noticing that I grinded for this. It's a big thing, but it's also like, going to Michigan is another stepping stone to getting where I want to be, based on the fact that this is not the end, it's nowhere near the end. I have to work even harder and strive at this level than when I was at Jackson and Morgan State. [It's still a process for me to get] where I want to be."

Did you expect you'd be one of the hottest WRs in the transfer portal?

"Not at all, not at all. To get recruited, I thought I would end up at like a MAC school, I didn't really think I was gonna end up at a Big Ten [school], honestly. My dad and some [coaches/friends] hit me up and were like, 'You're gonna go big! I'm telling you, just be patient.' Three or four days after, Big Ten schools, SEC, ACC, those kinds started hitting me up. It was kinda crazy."

You got the Michigan and Ohio State offers back-to-back...

"I got the Ohio State offer first, then I got Michigan. One was one day, the next day, another one came."

When you got the Ohio State offer, did that cement in your mind you'd be big time?

"This is what I've been trying for the whole time. I belong at the highest level. For me, I'm like, 'OK, Ohio State -- they don't offer everybody, No. 1. They don't even really get receivers from the transfer portal, No. 2.' They were also saying -- to me, this is one of the best teams in college football, top one or two every year, usually. And they offered me because they want me to play for their program. If they see it, I know that other people will see, everyone else will see. And that's what happened. A lot of other schools offered after Ohio State offered me."

You turned down Ohio State for Michigan. Did you grow up a Michigan fan?

"I was an Ohio State fan when I grew up! What happened was, when I went down to Ohio State, I worked out for them and they said I did pretty well. They just -- their receiver room is pretty stacked as far as they have experience and potential. For me, I was looking for the best opportunity to play right away and prove I'm the best in the country. I felt like it would have been harder there because the fact they have some of the best receivers in the country there already. Really, what they were telling me was, 'You'll be like from the fourth to my seventh receiver, fifth to my seventh receiver.' I'm looking and I'm like, 'I can't.' Looking, for me personally, I can't -- I'll grind the hardest to show I should be on the field, but I don't think I could be able to showcase that at a higher level like I want to playing at Ohio State aside from a place that needed me more as a big-bodied guy, who doesn't have any big body receivers at all."

As someone who grew up an Ohio State fan, what's that gonna be like wearing maize and blue?

"It's not too much. For me, it's like, this is a business decision, honestly. For me, it's business. I'm a Michigan fan now, it's gonna go that way forever now from here on out from the fact that I do have the maize and blue on. That's gonna be a change, but it's gonna be fun playing against them, playing on that stage, playing against all those guys. I also visited Penn State and they didn't offer me. Playing against Northwestern. I've got ex-teammates that play for all of those schools as well, so it's a big thing for me to come back home and play against people I've been playing with my whole life, or against my whole life."

You played for one year at Morgan State under Tyrone Wheatley...

"I didn't play for Tyrone Wheatley at all. I played two years at Morgan and I didn't play for Tyrone Wheatley though. Tyrone Wheatley came as I left."

Oh, OK. I had the timeline mixed up.

"I got in the transfer portal after -- I wanna say three weeks after Wheatley got there. So I got to train with him a little bit, but I got in the transfer portal after that."

What did Michigan tell you about how it sees you and how you fit in? What sold you about Michigan?

"Coach Gattis, No. 1. No. 2, I felt the love just being there. I came back, talked to my mom. I went to visit again with my mom to make sure my mom [felt] validated because she plays a big role as a mother always has -- I don't know how they do it, but she played a big role. When she validated, she was like, 'I'm validated, it feels like a good fit.' We got up there, I talked to Gattis a lot, and we were talking about my role, he was like, 'I feel like you can come in and play, you can come in and try to start, [maybe] start immediately.' When he told me that -- and I do trust him and I really trust coach [Ron Bellamy]. I know Coach Bell won't do me wrong. He came to me, he was gonna call me, like, 'Daylen's gonna work out for us. He's gonna work out.' "I trust Coach Bell, those guys. They make me feel at home and I feel like I can trust them and that we can build something there, based on the fact that my goal is to play in the NFL. In the last two years, they put two receivers in the NFL -- and they're playing very well as they're expected to play for both of their teams -- DPJ and Nico Collins. The way I look at it is as an opportunity -- 'OK, I could be the next one out to be drafted the highest,' just to try to achieve better than what they achieved and to become better than them."

Does it feel like a challenge moving up from an HBCU to the Big Ten, competition-wise?

"They put on their cleats like we put on our cleats down south at an HBCU. It's no different. You could say the only thing that's different is the facilities and we all put on our cleats, we all got the gear, we got that stuff. I feel like I'm the best no matter what level of competition it is. You've gotta dominate, regardless. For me, it's like, 'OK, you gotta put on your cleats like I put on my cleats. You are you, just like you're another football player, I'm another football player.' I don't look at them any different. I'm gonna approach the game how I did when I was at Jackson like how I do when I'm here at Michigan. Prepare, practice hard, watch film and do the little things, and that's gonna automatically help me win. I don't know there's much of a difference. "I just want to make sure I'm still getting better though, at the end of the day, because it's about improvement and keep living through expectations -- not living up to them [isn't an option]. For me, it's just another stepping stone getting to where I want to be. I don't look at any DB as different."

What clicked for you last year that made you SWAC newcomer of the year and break out?

"I had a lot of off time. I had sat out at Jackson at first. I sat out at Jackson and I came back and played that whole year, so I was just grinding heavy. I was track -- that just helped me. Ultimately, after that, I just grinding myself, kept pushing, kept pushing my limits every day. That really helped. My relationship with God grew a lot in that time because I was going through a tough time, especially when I was sitting out at Jackson. That was my first time not playing football in 14 years since I was 7 -- I'm 21 now. It was a tough time. I was pushing through that, and automatically and ultimately, it helped me get better and to prepare for what I'm gonna do. It helped prepare me and after that, it just took off from there."

Jackson State had a big spotlight with Deion Sanders taking over. What was that like?

"It was great. I was taking advantage of the opportunity No. 1. No. 2, he gave us a lot. He gave me a lot of knowledge. It helped a lot in a lot of areas that I didn't necessarily know so much about. After the league, when you're in the league, press conferences, image, stuff like that. You've gotta keep yourself looking good. Just the small things -- also things on the field. Obviously, he's seen the best, he's played against the best. To me, he was just helping, making sure you had [the support] behind you. He's always teaching the meticulous, small things. There on out, it just made me better. "Him and Jason Phillips, as well -- my receivers coach down at Jackson. Those two great coaches really know what they're talking about and helping me every day just develop and really testing my limits as far as me being able to take coaching. It was a great experience and I felt like I really took advantage of the opportunity when it came to me."

What are you looking forward to most about playing at Michigan?

"To play in The Big House, mostly. I have played in front of 45,000 down at Jackson. Jackson gets pretty loud, but I don't think it's nothing compared to 110,000 in The Big House! Playing there and being able to showcase my talents on a bigger level, more of the national stage more than anything -- that's gonna be the big thing. At this point, I'm just ready to play, honestly."

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