Patriots draft versatile wide receiver out of Washington in the 2nd round
The Patriots drafted a weapon on offense for new quarterback Drake Maye on Friday night.
After trading back from No. 34 to No. 37 with the Chargers, New England selected Washington wide receiver Ja’Lynn Polk in the second round.
Polk, 22, is listed at 6-foot-1, 203-pounds, immediately becomes an outside threat the team needs. Last season in college, he caught 69 passes for 1,159 yards to go with nine touchdowns. He will compete with fellow wide receivers Kendrick Bourne, Demario ‘Pop’ Douglas, K.J. Osborn, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and Tyquan Thornton for the position.
While playing at Washington, Polk lined up both as a slot and an outside threat. The new Patriots wide receiver recognizes the importance of having versatility.
“Being an elite player, you’ve got to be able to know how to move around and do different things,” Polk said. “Be able to go out there and contribute to your offense. Being versatile. Being able to move inside and outside—knowing what everybody is doing on the field—is very important. I think it’s my job to know as much as I can to go out there and make plays for those guys. 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 them.”
Polk said he prides himself in putting in extra work and hopes to develop into a leader with the Patriots.
“I’m excited to show the world what I can do again,” Polk said. “And help this team win some games.”
