The New England Patriots haven't drafted a wide receiver who tallied 1,000-plus yards in a single season for the team since Julian Edelman, who was a seventh-round pick in 2009 after playing quarterback at Kent State.
The Patriots have been trying for more than a decade to draft and develop a No. 1 or No. 2 wide receiver. Even though it's only the preseason, there are reasons to be optimistic about rookie wideout Ja'Lynn Polk.
Polk, the Patriots' second-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft (No. 37 overall), was one of the team's best offensive players in training camp. He also played well in the first preseason game against the Carolina Panthers last week and Tuesday's joint practice with the Philadelphia Eagles.
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In fact, he had one of the best plays by a Patriots player Tuesday -- hauling in a deep pass from rookie quarterback Drake Maye.
Pass-catching isn't the only bright spot in Polk's skill set, though. Another aspect has caught the attention of Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo.
“He’s another guy that’s just very steady," Mayo told reporters before Tuesday's practice. "You watch him in college, of course he can run routes and catch the ball and do all those things, but the thing that got me was his blocking. You don't really see receivers do the things he did in college.
"He’s a tough individual. He’s going out here and blocking guys like (Kyle) Dugger and all that stuff. It’s great, it’s great to see. That mentality, that attitude at that position is important.”
Blocking obviously isn't the most important part of being a wideout. Catching the football is No. 1, and the Patriots desperately need one of these young wide receivers to be a playmaker on offense. Polk becoming that kind of player for New England is the best-case scenario for his development.
But the fact that Polk has such a well-rounded skill set as a rookie is both impressive and encouraging for the team. If the Patriots are going to have a productive season on offense, they'll need to run the football at an efficient rate. Polk could play a key role in that success if he continues to block at a high level.
