Scouting Report: Ja'Lynn Polk (WR) - Washington
Sales Pitch: "Tough physical WR who will primarily win over the middle versus zone coverage. Lacks the speed or quickness to consistently separate versus man but is a useful player who brings energy to an offense with his contested catch skills and blocking effort."
Athletic Profile
Height: 6’ 1 3/8”
Weight: 203 lbs
Arm Length: 31 3/4”
Hand Size: 9 3/4”
40 Yard Dash: 4.52
10 Yard Split: 1.59
Vertical: 37.5”
Broad Jump: 10’ 9”
Short Shuttle: N/A
3-Cone: N/A
Age: 22
Relative Athletic Score: 8.85 / 10.00
Statistics
Career: 143 REC - 2,231 YDS - 15.6 YPR - 18 TD
2023: 69 REC - 1,159 YDS - 16.8 YPR - 9 TD
Strengths
Thickly built frame with good size
Infectious energy on the field due to his toughness as a blocker and receiver
Consistent playmaker late in games and in the red zone
Solid first step burst to win off the line of scrimmage
Excellent understanding for space against zone coverage
Tremendous concentration at the catch point in traffic and down the field
Leaping ability and body control to win in jump ball scenarios
Large sticky hands that attack the ball outside his frame
Strength and contact balance to break initial tackles in open field
No nonsense runner with the ball in his hands
Brings toughness and aggression as a blocker both out in space and as a wing
Weaknesses
Average athlete who lacks top end speed
Fails to consistently separate from man coverage
Lacks high end physical tools beat CB1s on the outside
Doubles hitter not home run hitter with the ball in his hands
Might be better suited as a power slot at the next level
Summary
Ja’Lynn Polk is a tough, physical receiver who excels at the catch point in traffic. The former 3-Star recruit began his collegiate career at Texas Tech before transferring to Washington prior to the 2021 season, going on to being a key contributor and the #2 WR for a Huskies team that went to the National Title game in 2023. Polk has good size for the position, with a thick muscular frame. He has the strength to play through contact at the line of scrimmage and down the field. He was a contested catch aficionado in 2023, converting over 50% of his jump ball opportunities. Polk has big sticky hands that attack the ball outside his frame. He has the leaping ability and body control to box out smaller DBs down the field. He shows the toughness and concentration skills to secure the ball in traffic while taking hits. Polk is better at beating zone coverage than he is man. While he has solid burst to beat bigger DBs off the line of scrimmage and on one cut routes, he lacks the speed and quickness to consistently separate on most routes. Polk is extremely smart and does a great job reading coverages and defender leverage on the fly. He knows where to settle down against zone and does an excellent job working to space on crossers and in the scramble drill. Polk is an effective player after the catch despite his average long speed. He quickly transitions to becoming a ball carrier after the catch on screens and crossers, and is able to weaponize his strength and balance to break initial tackles in space. Polk has an infectious play style built off toughness and aggression. It is displayed not only as a ball carrier and receiver at the catch point but as a blocker as well. He has the size and strength to win against DBs in space but as well as seal down linebackers from stacks and wing alignments. Polk’s dirty work attitude is something that permeates into an offense and raises the level of play of everyone around him. He lacks the high end traits to be a legit WR1 at the next level but Polk is the definition of a useful player. His toughness, instincts and ball skills project him as a high floor WR2 who can play both outside and in the slot, making him a likely candidate to go early to mid Round 2.