The New England Patriots continue to look for potential playmakers for their offense. Fortunately for them, the 2024 NFL Draft has a deep wide receiver class full of weapons capable of making an impact from the start of their professional careers.
One of those names is Ja’Lynn Polk, who played a vital role in Washington’s explosive offense this season. Polk’s output with the Huskies has increased year after year, and he will most certainly be selected on Day 2 of the NFL Draft.
Let’s take a deeper look at Polk to see what he brings to the table.
Hard facts
Name: Ja’Lynn Polk
Position: Wide receiver
School: University of Washington (via transfer of Texas Tech)
Opening day age: 22 (4/11/2002)
Measurements: 6’1 3/8”, 203 pounds, 9 3/4” hand size, 31 3/4” arm length, 74 1/2” wingspan, 8.81 Relative Athletic Score
Experience
Career statistics: 41 games (32 starts), 2,012 offensive snaps, 135 special teams snaps, 143 receptions, 2,231 receiving yards, 18 receiving touchdowns, 5 rushing attempts, 47 rushing yards, and 1 rushing touchdown.
Awards: Freshman All-America Third Team (College Football News, 2022).
Polk, a Texas high school standout, originally committed to Texas Tech, where he played all ten games as a freshman. After finishing with 28 receptions for 264 yards and two touchdowns, Polk transferred to the University of Washington in the spring of 2021.
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His Huskies career began slowly, with an injury limiting him to only three games in his first season out west. Polk appeared in all 13 games in 2022, ranking third on the team in receptions (41) and receiving yards (694). This includes a career game against Michigan State, where he had 153 receiving yards and three touchdowns, tying for the second-most in UW single-game history.
Polk established himself as Washington’s No. 2 receiver in 2023, trailing only Rome Odunze. Polk had career highs in receptions (69), touchdowns (9) and receiving yards (1,159), the sixth most in Washington history. Polk recorded his eighth 100-yard receiving game of the season in a win over the Texas Longhorns while leading the Huskies to the College Football Playoff. Polk declared for the draft after Michigan defeated him in the CFB Championship game.
Draft profile
Expected Round: 2-3 | Consensus Big Board: No. 68 | Patriots Meeting: N/A
Polk has a very consistent game and can align from out wide (59 percent) or in the slot (41 percent). He possesses exceptional hands and strong ball abilities, allowing him to reliably catch passes outside of his frame.
Polk’s route running skills allow him to work through contact and stack opposing defensive backs. He is also not afraid to work across the middle of the field and has a good feel for finding open space in zone coverage.
Polk is also an exceptionally eager blocker, as his former head coach, Kalen DeBoer, described him as one of Washington’s “toughest and strongest” players.
Weaknesses: Polk has an average athletic profile that transfers to the game. He is not a quick twitch athlete, which can contribute to difficulty getting open against press coverage and reduced YAC ability.
Polk’s best season of performance came in a powerful Washington position group that included fellow receivers Rome Odunze and Jalen McMillan, all with Michael Penix Jr. at quarterback.
Patriots’ preview
What would be his role? Polk’s tenacity and college experience should help him land an NFL role early in his first season. Improvements versus press coverage should keep Polk in a varied role between the slot and out wide.
What is his growth potential? Polk’s decent athletic profile may limit his development possibilities at the next level. Having said that, his game attributes may still allow him to develop into a valuable No. 2 option in an NFL passing attack, which requires several contributors in today’s game.
Does he have positional versatility? As previously stated, Polk had a about 70-30 ratio between aligning out wide and in the slot during college. Polk also handled five total attempts at Washington the last two years, averaging 9.4 yards per attempt, including a 27-yard touchdown. He also played 135 special teams snaps for four different units in the kicking game.
Why the Patriots? New England continues to look for pass catcher upgrades and Polk has the skill set to be a strong option in a passing attack. He would also provide New England’s depth chart another receiver with inside-outside versatility.
Why not the Patriots? The Patriots’ wide receiver position currently features a handful of complimentary pieces, which could result in them setting their sights higher than a player like Polk, who could max out as a strong No. 2 option. Plus, New England might also prefer someone who projects to spend the majority of their time along the boundary as they lack a true X-receiver.
Polk’s average athletic profile may limit him at the next level, but he still has the potential to play a key part in a passing attack.
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