Photo by Brandon Sloter/Image Of Sport/Getty Images New England picked Polk in the second round of this year’s draft. The New England Patriots opened their 2024 NFL Draft by bringing their quarterback of the future aboard. After picking Drake Maye third overall, the next course of action was surrounding him with some weapons. First on that list was wide receiver Ja’Lynn Polk. The 37th overall selection out of the University of Washington, Polk was a highly-touted prospect due to his mix of sure hands, solid baseline athleticism, and positional versatility — attributes that will help him quickly adapt to life in New England and the NFL as a whole. “I think being a new player, you’ve got to be able to know how to move around, do different things and be able to go out there and contribute to your offense,” Polk said during his introductory press conference. “So, being versatile, being able to move inside and outside, know what everybody’s doing on the field is very important.” A three-star recruit out of high school, Polk started his college career at Texas Tech before transferring to Washington ahead of his sophomore campaign. He spent three seasons with the Huskies, appearing in 31 games with 23 starts and catching 115 passes for 1,967 yards and 16 touchdowns. While he was never a true No. 1 wide receiver in Washington’s offense — that role was held by 2024 first-round pick Rome Odunze — Polk was a steady and reliable player. In order to also become that in New England, the 22-year-old is focused on the mental part of the game first and foremost. For Polk, knowledge is power. “I think it’s my job to know as much as I can, to go out there and make plays for those guys that are putting in work each and every play,” he said. “I want to put my quarterback in the best situation possible. I know I’m going to be able to go out there and make plays for him. “So, just being able to help other guys around me and make their job easier as well, so when that guy’s lining up next to me, he can trust me. He can put the trust in me that I’m going to be able to know what I’m going to do. We can feed off each other, be able to communicate, and help each other as well.” A roster lock based on his draft status alone, Polk is one of three skill position players drafted by the Patriots after acquiring Drake Maye in the first round. He is being joined on the team by fourth-round wide receiver Javon Baker and seventh-round tight end Jaheim Bell. How big their eventual impact on the team will be is anybody’s guess at this point in time. Polk, however, is seemingly not leaving anything up to chance: he is trying to make sure to put himself in the best possible position from the very start of his professional career. Source: https://www.patspulpit.com/2024/5/3/241 ... draft-2024
