Patriots make trade to open second day of draft, land WR
Many times leading up to and even during the 2024 NFL Draft, Patriots de facto GM Eliot Wolf posed the possibility that New England could look work the trade market to improve its overall draft assets.
That came to fruition early on Friday’s second night of the draft when Wolf sent the second pick of the second round – No. 34 overall along with No. 137 overall – to the Chargers in exchange for picks Nos. 37 and 110.
After moving down the three spots in the second round, the Patriots made the selection with another very much need-based pick on offense in the form of Washington wide receiver Ja’Lynn Polk.
Seen as a high-character, hard-working prospect, Polk is a 6-1, 203-pound target who hauled in 69 passes for 1,159 yards with nine touchdowns working with newly minted No. 8 overall pick Michael Penix last season. Polk was a three-year starter for the Huskies after beginning his college career at Texas Tech.
Polk ran 4.52 40 at the NFL Scouting Combine and brings inside-outside versatility with him to New England. The Athletic projected Polk as a potential third-round pick, but his breakout production working opposite top-10 pick teammate Rome Odunze earned him the early day-two call from the Patriots.
Polk certainly adds size, playmaking ability (nearly 17 yards per catch the last two falls at Washington) and blocking effort to a New England receiving corps that definitely was seen as one of the team’s biggest needs heading into draft weekend.
Now, Polk will join first-round QB Drake Maye in the first year of offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt’s new look attack in Foxborough.
Much to the dismay of many Patriots fans, Los Angeles used the pick it got in the deal with the Patriots to draft Georgia wide receiver Ladd McConkey. Clearly, though, New England had its eye on Polk to upgrade its wide receiver depth chart and give Maye a young developmental weapon to grow with.
