PRO 2024 Rookie Spotlight: Ja’Lynn Polk, WR Washington
Rookie Spotlight: Ja’Lynn Polk, Washington
Height: 6-2 (unofficial)
Weight: 204 (unofficial)
2024 Age: 22 – (4/11/02)
40-yard dash: 4.48 (projected)
NFL Play-Style Comparison: Adam Thielen
Draft Grade: Late 2nd Round
Breakout Age: 21 (RS Junior)
Offensive Market Share Metrics (Final Season)
Receptions: 18%
Receiving Yards: 22%
Receiving TDs: 24%
High School: Lufkin (Lufkin, Texas)
As a high school prospect: Class of 2020; 3-star
College Attended: Texas Tech, Washington
Pros
– Insufferably smooth at the catch point with contortion-ability
– Strong hands catcher with great hand-eye coordination
– Consistently finds the soft spot in defenses, a quarterback-friendly receiver
– 45 of 69 receptions were for 1st downs
– Utilizes hands during combat downfield, to create separation
– finished with 4+ receptions or 100 yards in every game in 2023
– Won the Husky Fever 12th Man of the Year Award in 2021 (first year on campus)
Cons
– Occasional struggle with concentration drops,
– Not a mega separator downfield, but savvy operator
–Going to be in the mix, but never a hammer in the run game as a blocker
– lacks true deep-threat speed
Scouting Notes:
Overshadowed for two seasons at Washington, behind stud receivers Rome Odunze and Jalen McMillan, Polk finished with 108 targets in 2023, good for 15th in the country. Although his 16.8 yards per reception could be digested to interpret Polk as a deep threat, that is not his game – Polk dominates the middle quadrants 5-15 yards from the line of scrimmage. With an average depth of target at 13.8, his YAC-ability comes in handy, as a proficient creator, finishing Top 40 in overall YAC in 2023. He is going to be a longstanding pro in the NFL, similar to his play-style comparable I tabbed him with, Adam Thielen, First Downs on First Downs!
Fantasy Outlook:
Expectations for a player like Polk during his rookie season can be compared to a couple of guys in the 2023 NFL Draft, Jonathan Mingo and Rashee Rice, a pair of 2nd round picks in the NFL that grew into their offense after a few weeks and exposed the fantasy industry with plenty of usable weeks. As a great value, likely in the 3rd Round of Rookie Dynasty drafts, Polk will be a top target of mine in May, if the NFL Draft falls right. c
