Ja'Lynn Polk

Last updated

Ja'Lynn Polk
2024-0106-JaLynn Polk.jpg
Polk in 2024
New Orleans Saints
Position Wide receiver
Roster status Injury icon 2.svg Injured reserve
Personal information
Born (2002-04-11) April 11, 2002 (age 23)
Lufkin, Texas, U.S.
Height6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight203 lb (92 kg)
Career information
High school Lufkin
College
NFL draft 2024: 2nd round, 37th overall pick
Career history
Career NFL statistics as of 2024
Receptions 12
Receiving yards 87
Receiving touchdowns 2
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Ja'Lynn Polk (born April 11, 2002) is an American professional football wide receiver for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Texas Tech and Washington, finishing as the runner-up with the latter in the 2024 national championship. Polk was drafted 37th overall in the 2024 NFL draft by the New England Patriots.

Contents

Early life

Polk attended Lufkin High School in Lufkin, Texas. [1] During his career, he had 131 receptions for 2,412 yards and 24 touchdowns. He committed to Texas Tech University to play college football. [2]

College career

Polk played at Texas Tech for one season in 2020, starting seven of 10 games, recording 28 receptions for 264 yards and two touchdowns. [3] In 2021, he transferred to the University of Washington. [4] [5] He played in only three games with two starts his first year at Washington due to injury and finished with five receptions for 114 yards and a touchdown. [6] Polk spent 2022 as the team's third receiver behind Rome Odunze and Jalen McMillan. [7] He finished the year with 41 receptions for 694 yards and six touchdowns. [8] He returned to Washington in 2023. [9] In the 2023 season, he had seven games with over 100 receiving yards. In the College Football Playoffs Semifinal against Texas, he had five receptions for 122 yards in the 37–31 win. [10] He finished with 69 receptions for 1,159 yards and nine touchdowns. [11] After the 2024 CFP National Championship, Polk declared for the NFL Draft. [12]

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables
HeightWeightArm lengthHand span 40-yard dash 10-yard split20-yard split Vertical jump Broad jump
6 ft 1+3⁄8 in
(1.86 m)		203 lb
(92 kg)		31+3⁄4 in
(0.81 m)		9+3⁄4 in
(0.25 m)		4.52 s1.52 s2.65 s37.5 in
(0.95 m)		10 ft 9 in
(3.28 m)
All values from NFL Combine [13] [14]

New England Patriots

Polk was selected by the New England Patriots with the 37th overall pick in second round of the 2024 NFL draft. [15] On June 13, 2024, Polk signed his four-year rookie contract worth $9.7 million, with a $3.87 million signing bonus. [16]

In the first quarter of Week 2 against the Seattle Seahawks, Polk scored his first NFL touchdown on a five-yard pass from Jacoby Brissett in the 20–23 overtime loss. [17] As a rookie, Polk appeared in 15 games and started seven. He finished with 12 receptions for 87 yards and two touchdowns. [18] Multiple statistical measurements and football analysts rated Polk as one of the worst wide receivers in the NFL for his performance in 2024. [19]

On August 21, 2025, it was announced that Polk would require season-ending shoulder surgery. [20]

New Orleans Saints

On September 13, 2025, the Patriots traded Polk and a 2028 seventh-round pick to the New Orleans Saints in exchange for a 2027 sixth-round pick. [21]

NFL career statistics

Regular season

YearTeamGamesReceivingRushingFumbles
GPGSRecYdsY/RLngTDAttYdsY/ALngTDFumLost
2024 NE 14712877.32121000.0000
Career 14712877.32121000.0000

References

  1. ↑ Dawson, Dudley E. (April 7, 2019). "Polk and parents felt official love for Arkansas". WholeHogSports. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  2. ↑ Williams, Don (June 22, 2019). "Four skill-position players commit to Tech". LubbockOnline.com. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  3. ↑ "Ja'lynn Polk 2020 Game Log". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved May 30, 2025.
  4. ↑ Kirschman, Lauren (February 3, 2021). "UW Huskies add Texas Tech transfer WR Ja'Lynn Polk". The News Tribune. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  5. ↑ Vorel, Mike (February 8, 2021). "Why Texas Tech transfer WR Ja'Lynn Polk decided to reunite with high school teammate Caleb Berry at Washington". The Seattle Times. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  6. ↑ Vorel, Mike (April 22, 2022). "After recovering from a dislocated clavicle, UW WR Ja'Lynn Polk wants to make a more lasting impression". The Seattle Times. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  7. ↑ Vorel, Mike (September 22, 2022). "How 6 a.m. study sessions prepared UW's Ja'Lynn Polk for his breakout start". The Seattle Times. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  8. ↑ "Ja'lynn Polk 2022 Game Log". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved May 30, 2025.
  9. ↑ Kamrani, Christopher (September 15, 2023). "Washington's star wide receivers enjoying 'once-in-a-lifetime experience'". The New York Times. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  10. ↑ Awtrey, Jeff (January 2, 2024). "Lufkin's Polk joins Washington in national championship after 122-yard performance". KLTV. Retrieved May 30, 2025.
  11. ↑ "Ja'lynn Polk 2023 Game Log". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved May 30, 2025.
  12. ↑ Kasabian, Paul (January 9, 2024). "Washington WR Ja'Lynn Polk Declares for 2024 NFL Draft After CFP Title Game Loss". Bleacher Report. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
  13. ↑ Reuter, Chad; Zierlein, Lance. "Ja'Lynn Polk Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  14. ↑ "2024 NFL Draft Scout Ja'Lynn Polk College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  15. ↑ Katson, Alex (April 26, 2024). "New England Patriots draft WR Ja'Lynn Polk at No. 37 overall". Huskies Wire. USA Today. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  16. ↑ Thomas, Oliver (June 13, 2024). "Ja'Lynn Polk signs rookie contract with Patriots, completing 2024 draft class". Pats Pulpit. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
  17. ↑ Leger, Justin (September 15, 2024). "WATCH: Ja'Lynn Polk scores first NFL TD". NBC Sports Boston. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
  18. ↑ "Ja'Lynn Polk 2024 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 30, 2025.
  19. ↑ Jaillet, Danny (November 6, 2024). "PFF stats for struggling Patriots rookie Ja'Lynn Polk are shockingly bad". Patriots Wire. USA Today. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  20. ↑ "WR Ja'Lynn Polk, Patriots' second-round pick in 2024, to miss season with shoulder injury". nytimes.com. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
  21. ↑ Baca, Michael (September 13, 2025). "Patriots trade former second-round WR Ja'Lynn Polk to Saints". NFL.com. Retrieved September 13, 2025.
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