Patriots Draftee Ja’Lynn Polk Has Familiarity In New England

The Patriots selected wide receiver Ja’Lynn Polk in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft, and he already has an ally in New England.

It’s his new position coach!

Tyler Hughes was hired by the Patriots to coach wide receivers this offseason, likely in part to his work with Polk, Rome Odunze and Jalen McMillan at the University of Washington in 2023.

Hughes returned to New England after spending one season as an offensive assistant with the Huskies. He previously spent three years in a similar role with the Patriots from 2020-2022, but will finally get to run his own unit, and does so with plenty of knowledge of his new top target.

“There was definitely a comfortability with Ja’Lynn given Tyler’s experience with him,” Patriots college scouting director Camren Williams said just moments after the selection, per the team’s website. “He obviously spoke really highly of him and that was where we felt comfortable with the person and the player. That’s something that we fell in love with along with the tape — his mentality, his growth mindset, his toughness, his work ethic and those are the types of things in discussions that Tyler added context too.”

Polk, who was taken higher than some believed he would be, soared in his lone season working with Hughes. He caught 69 passes for 1,159 yards and nine touchdowns in 2023, all career highs as he became the No. 2 option behind Odunze at Washington.

The Patriots needed to address their need at receiver and give new quarterback Drake Maye a potential top-flight option in taking Polk.