On his way to being named the Maxwell Award winner and the runner up for the Heisman Trophy, Washington Huskies quarterback Michael Penix Jr. got a lot of support from his wide receivers, especially Ja’Lynn Polk.
After Jalen McMillan suffered a knee injury against the Michigan State Spartans, Polk was asked to step in as Washington’s second option behind All-American Rome Odunze. He filled in admirably as McMillan was forced to miss nearly two months and responded with the sixth-most receiving yards in a single season in school history.
Polk pulled in 69 receptions for 1,159 yards and scored 10 total touchdowns (9 receiving and 1 rushing) but shockingly didn’t even see his name on the All-Pac-12 honorable mention list. Known for his strong hands, he made a significant amount of big plays for Penix, including a 92-yard touchdown reception against the Stanford Cardinal and a 77-yard grab against the Texas Longhorns in the Sugar Bowl.
The Texas Tech transfer opted to forgo his remaining eligibility and enter the 2024 NFL draft, where some mock drafts have projected to him to be selected as high as the second round.
As Huskies Wire looks back on the 10 best players of the 2023 season, enjoy some of their best photos from our USA TODAY network of photographers.