Pats Pulpit
Previewing the Patriots wide receiver heading into his second NFL season.
The New England Patriots entered the 2024 NFL Draft with a definitive need at the wide receiver position and did not waste much time to address it. With the 37th overall selection in the second round, they acquired Ja’Lynn Polk from the University of Washington to give quarterback Drake Maye a potential future go-to target to develop alongside him.
At least early on in their careers, however, the two are seemingly finding themselves on a different trajectory.
Name: Ja’Lynn Polk
Position: Wide receiver
Jersey number: 1
Opening day age: 23 (4/11/2002)
Measurements: 6’1 3/8”, 203 lbs, 74 1/2” wingspan, 31 3/4” arm length, 9 3/4” hand size, 4.52s 40-yard dash, 37 1/2” vertical jump, 10’9” broad jump, 8.84 Relative Athletic Score
NFL: England Patriots (2024-) | College: Texas Tech (2020), Washington (2021-23)
A three-star recruit coming out of Lufkin High School in his Texas hometown, Polk decided to stay in his home state to start his college career. He committed to Texas Tech, where he appeared in 10 games with seven starts during his 2021 freshman campaign. Despite catching 28 passes for 264 yards and a pair of touchdowns, Polk transferred to the University of Washington the following spring.
He was limited to just three games in his first season as a Husky, eventually redshirting due to a collarbone injury. From 2022 on, however, he became a heavily-featured member of the school’s wide receiver rotation: after catching 41 passes for 694 yards and six scores that year, he set career highs in receptions (69), receiving yards (1,159) and touchdowns (9) as a junior in 2023.
Even though he still had a year of eligibility left, Polk decided to leave school early and join several of his teammates in the NFL Draft. The Patriots selected him 37th overall in the second round, as noted above, but he had a quiet rookie season that ended with only 12 catches, 87 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Strengths: Standing at 6-foot-1, 203 pounds, Polk offers good size and combines it with a solid athletic makeup. He releases quickly off the line of scrimmage, and uses his feet efficiently and without many wasted steps to create instant separation against press-man coverage. A natural hands catcher, he is good at executing cuts to work back to the ball and early on during his rookie campaign showed some good concentration and hand-eye coordination — a continuation from his college career, when he impressed in contested catch situations and as a sure-handed receiver.
Weaknesses: Polk isn’t a true burner at wide receiver and lacks the speed to become a true yards after catch threat. His relatively pedestrian straight-line speed allows man corners to latch onto him and get physical through the stem of his route; he needs to get better fighting off contact at this phase. Against zone, he needs to improve his general awareness and spacial recognition...
