One of the most important parts of finding success in Boston is being comfortable in the environment. It appears Ja’Lynn Polk, who is very used to playing under pressure after his final two years with the Washington Huskies, is settling in nicely with the New England Patriots.
There are already high expectations around the No. 37 overall pick, as the organization doesn’t have a positive history of drafting wide receivers and will look for him to step into a major role from day one.
As the Patriots continue to rebuild, Polk looks like an important part of the team’s long-term plans, along with its first-round pick, quarterback Drake Maye. The pair attended a Boston Bruins playoff game on Sunday and went viral on social media for their noticeable chemistry.
Football 🤝 Hockey #StanleyCup
Cc: @Patriots, @DrakeMaye2, & Ja’Lynn Polk pic.twitter.com/tOBsreOOqI
— NHL (@NHL) May 13, 2024
That chemistry has already shown up on the field too, as Polk was one of the most impressive players on the field throughout New England’s rookie camp, along with his new friend and running mate Javon Baker.
“They look good,” Maye told Conor Roche of Boston.com. “They made some plays in 7-on-7, I threw a couple behind them, and they still made the catches. I don’t know if we’ve had one on the ground yet, knock on wood. That’s the goal out here: come out here, routes on air, and be 100%. Those guys are going to be some special players.”
Baker appears to be another player that has helped Polk settle in rather quickly, as the fourth-round pick out of Central Florida trained with him before the draft, where the two formed a bond that they now get to continue as they start their NFL careers.
Polk was well-known among Washington media members for his work ethic, as he spent an extra 10-15 minutes after every practice catching passes from a jugs machine and that hasn’t diminished at the NFL level, as the former Washington star said he and Baker spend 13-hour days at New England’s practice facility.
“Me and Javon, after we finish everything, we’ll get our food and before we go to the hotel … we’ll go in there, catch jugs, one of the equipment guys will go in there with us,” Polk said of his routine. “We try to find our routine and schedule and be the best we can be, lead the guys in the room and to feed off the vets and be able to pick their brains and the things they do. It’s exciting to be part of something like this.”
Success is never guaranteed at the NFL level, but if Polk’s track record and work ethic count for anything, he is on the right track heading into his rookie season. [lawrence-related id=3152]