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How many WRs will go in the first round?
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https://x.com/pschrags/status/1777875327554859087?s=61Jim NagyPeter Schrager
DJ knows my feelings. Ja’Lynn Polk is risinggggg.
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Corbin
Though Washington moved Ja'Lynn Polk more into the slot throughout his career, he posted a career-best 2.25 receiving yards per team pass attempt (RecYPTA) & 25% Receiver Dominator in 2023.
Polk is a weapon all over
25.9% Deep Tgt%
Steve Smith Sr.
My comp for #JalynnPolk…. TJ Houshmandzadeh
Watch the full breakdown TOMORROW on the #CutToItYouTube page!
Schrager is really dialed in these days.
The 33rd Team
Ja'Lynn Polk's scouting report via @gregcosell
New England got a WEAPON
STRENGTHS:
- Location versatile within the offensive formation. Can line up with multiple splits outside and inside.
- Smooth, linear route runner with deceptive vertical separation ability to get out on top of corners.
- Showed excellent body control to make tough catches away from his frame. Has body contortion and extension.
- Made tough contested catches vs. excellent coverage. Made hands catches with high-level concentration.
- Late hands-on fades and vertical routes prevented corners from reacting to the throw. Has fast hands.
- Tracked deep balls with excellent focus. Strong, soft hands to pluck the ball out of the air. Finishes deep catches well.
- Caught the ball easily with a large catch radius. Scheme and position versatile with inside and slot experience.
- Showed some flashes of quickness as route runner and run after catch, but you want to see more.
WEAKNESSES:
- Not sudden or explosive in his movement. Too measured and methodical. Needs more burst into stem-routes.
- Unrefined route runner: No QB indicators, too loose and muddled at top of stem. Did not burst out of breaks.
- Tendency to be a little too mechanical as a route runner. Did not show fluidity and suddenness.
- Overall more of a one-speed receiver. Did not show an extra gear with the ball in the air as a vertical receiver.
- Rarely faced press coverage in Washington’s offense, so that will be a question that needs to be answered.
- There will be legitimate questions regarding his ability to separate and win vs. quality man-to-man coverage.
BOTTOM LINE:
"My sense is there is more to Polk as he continues to develop with his strong foundation of excellent hands and his outstanding ability to make tough contested catches away from his frame. Plus, it is evident from the tape that he plays with a physical edge and can function effectively through contact. The more I watched Polk, the more I thought of Jakobi Meyers, who has become a quality WR. Their height/weight profile is almost identical. Meyers went undrafted after catching 92 passes in his final season at North Carolina State.
Polk can be a higher-level contributor in a well-schemed pass game, and it would not surprise me if he became a volume target depending on the team and the offensive coordinator."
I'm getting Davante Adams vibes.
The comp in DraftBuzz is Romeo Doubs, who was drafted in the 4th round and was a little faster, and also had a good route tree in college. Similar size. Doubs should've been drafted higher. He was also good as a freshman in college. Adams is a very high bar. But Polk should get opportunities from the get-go.
I like Wilson and Burton's potential upsides; however, Polk has not only a safer floor, but his upside is pretty enticing as well. Honestly, I would be pleased with any of the 3 of them (and I will also throw Corley in that same mix). If I am on the clock with my choice, however, I am likely taking Polk at least 5 out of 10 times.
Every time you bump a NE receiver thread, I feel compelled to respond with what I have been seeing. The current starting WR unit in practice and in pre-season games to date has been Douglas, Osborn, and Thornton. The second unit has been Polk, Baker, and Boutte (with some other lesser names mixed in). It's also expected that when Bourne comes back, he will be one of the starters and would likely be their de facto WR1 once he is up to full speed.
This is where I'm at.
So far (which is important to emphasize), they have been having Polk run fairly vanilla routes at the first and second level. Nothing too complex, nothing that takes long to develop, and nothing truly downfield. They've been only giving him underneath stuff and maybe some routes that get him to just beyond the sticks. Douglas is getting tabbed as the high-volume receiver that will see a lot of catches, but he doesn't have a big frame and there are some questions on how durable he may be. Polk is bigger and likely can take more hits across the middle. That doesn't change that the Patriots offensive scheme is mostly a complete unknown, and in redraft leagues, rostered any of the NE receivers could be just filling up a fantasy roster spot. However, there is a decent chance that after Week 1, one of their receivers will be a flavor of the week on the fantasy waiver wire.
