The New England Patriots added a weapon for their new quarterback Drake Maye in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
After trading down from No. 34 to No. 37 overall, the Patriots selected Washington wide receiver Ja'Lynn Polk out of Washington. Pats de facto general manager Eliot Wolf claimed they were ready to pick Polk at 34, but they had intel that made them confident they could get him at 37.
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Polk had 69 catches for 1,159 yards and nine touchdowns for the Huskies last season. The 22-year-old racked up those impressive numbers while playing alongside fellow wideout Rome Odunze, who the Chicago Bears selected with the ninth overall pick.
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The reaction to the Patriots' pick was mostly positive on social media, including a ringing endorsement from Drake Maye. Plus, Polk fills a glaring need on the roster, so the pick was an obvious home run... right?
Well, not exactly.
While some draft experts praised the Patriots for adding much-needed talent at the receiver position, others criticized them for passing on other wideouts who may possess more big-play ability than Polk. Some believe Polk was a reach at No. 37 overall.
Here's a roundup of expert grades for the Polk selection:
Phil Perry, NBC Sports Boston: B
Chris Traspasso, CBS Sports: B-
Brent Sobleski, Bleacher Report: B
Nick Baumgardner and Scott Dochterman, The Athletic: C+
Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, USA TODAY Sports: B-
Matt Verderame, Sports Illustrated: C+