New England Patriots coach Jerod Mayo had high praise for his rookie wide receivers Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker, following the 2024 NFL draft.
The Patriots drafted Polk with the 37th pick in the second round. Polk is coming off a career at the University of Washington that saw him record 69 receptions for 1,159 yards and nine touchdowns in his final season with the Huskies.
Baker was a star receiver for UCF. He tallied 52 catches for 1,139 yards and seven touchdowns last season.
Together, they should create a duo that rookie quarterback Drake Maye can work with. Beyond that, they give the Patriots’ wide receivers room depth. Mayo elaborated on what he believes his two young wide receivers bring to the table for the Patriots.
“[Polk is] one of those guys that isn’t afraid to do the dirty work. Sometimes you need those receivers to come in there and kind of dig out support, and he does that at a very high level,” said Mayo. “…He’s one of those guys, smooth route-runner, has good hands, can do a lot of different things, and he’s smart. And that’s one thing that we covet around here.
When switching gears to Baker, Mayo said, “When you talk about Javon, the run after catch. This guy is aggressive, and I would say Baker is all ball. He’s all ball, which I can appreciate. And you can see the passion come through when you watch him on film.”
#Patriots HC Jerod Mayo on WRs Ja'Lynn Polk and Javon Baker:
Polk — “Smooth route-runner, has good hands, can do a lot of different things, and he’s smart, and that’s one thing that we covet around here.”
Baker — “The run after catch. This guy’s aggressive. He’s all ball.” pic.twitter.com/A7raODAPKE
— The Coachspeak Index (@CoachspeakIndex) April 28, 2024
At the very least, New England has added fresh bodies to a wide receiver unit that struggled last year. Not only that, they’re doing everything they can to surround their rookie quarterback with offensive talent.
