The New England Patriots slid back in the second round and selected Washington wide receiver Ja'Lynn Polk with pick No. 37 in the 2024 NFL draft.
Heading into the draft, the Patriots wide receiver room was lacking some real talent, as it boasted Kendrick Bourne (returning from ACL injury), DeMario Douglas, K.J. Osborn, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Jalen Reagor, Kayshon Boutte, Tyquan Thornton, Kawaan Baker and T.J. Luther. Polk might be the team's best player at the position when he steps into the room.
At 6-foot-1, Polk has decent size that allows him to make contested catches, especially on deep or sideline throws. He doesn't have great speed or acceleration, but he could be a go-to target for new quarterback Drake Maye outside the numbers and in the red zone.
New England needed to target wide receiver, and they did so, but Polk needs to prove that they made the right decision when guys like Adonai Mitchell and Ladd McConkey were available when the Patriots traded back.
