Ja’Lynn Polk already dished out rave reviews of Drake Maye after the two were selected by the New England Patriots with their first two picks in the 2024 NFL Draft.
The new Patriots wide receiver gave a positive scouting report of Maye.
“The guy’s electric,” Polk told reporters shortly after the Patriots drafted him in the second round. “He goes out there, and he’s able to make plays for his team. A great guy, man. An awesome player.”
Polk added that he’s also been watching tape of Maye in the leadup to the draft.
“I had an opportunity throughout this process to see a lot of his plays that he put up for his team,” Polk said. “I’m excited to be able to get to work with him.”
Polk, who measures 6-foot-1 and 203 pounds, showed some NFL promise at Washington over the last couple of seasons. He really broke out in 2023, recording 69 receptions for 1,159 yards and nine touchdowns this past season.
While Polk wasn’t Washington’s No. 1 receiver, he was used throughout the offense. He played in the slot and on the boundary, which scouts think he’ll be able to do in the NFL. He also was used a gadget player at times, catching bubble screens.
Maye endorsed the selection of Polk on social media.
“Stud!! Lets work,” Maye wrote with a fire emoji in a social media post.
Who new Patriots WR Ja’Lynn Polk models his game after
Polk pointed to a couple of star receivers over the last couple of decades as players he who inspire the way he plays.
“I watch guys like Andre Johnson and Keenan Allen,” Polk said. “[Allen], his ability just to make guys miss and go out and keep his balance. Go get those extra yards and having that certain dog mentality of going to lead his team. His releases are pretty good. So watching his releases and the things that he does in order to create separation is elite.”
Allen has constantly been praised for his versatility and his releases, as Polk mentioned, throughout his career, which is why he still had over 100 receptions this past season.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that Polk will be Keenan Allen. But Polk wants to have that impact as he’s willing to line up anywhere on offense.
“Being an elite player, you’ve gotta 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. So being versatile, being able to move inside, outside, knowing what everybody is doing on the field is very important. So I think it’s my job to know as much as I can.
“I want to put my quarterback in the best situation possible. So I know I’m going to be able to go out there and make plays for him.”
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