Carolina Panthers 2024 NFL Draft scouting report: Ja'Lynn Polk

Ja’Lynn Polk scouting report

• Height: 6-foot-1 | Weight: 203 pounds
• Hand size: 9 3/4 inches | Arm length: 31 3/4 inches
• NFL.com ranking: WR17 | 2023 PFF grade: 75.0

From a physical composition standpoint, the recently turned 22-year-old Ja’Lynn Polk brings a formidable build to the position. He has good, not elite, length. He has good, not elite, height. And - yep, you guessed it - he has good, not elite, body mass and weight.

At the NFL Scouting Combine, Polk’s testing numbers synched up well with the player that I studied on film. The prospect performs well in contested catch situations thanks to strong hands and exemplary ball skills at the catch point, one of those physical skills being his leaping ability (37.5-inch vertical jump). He has an impressive highlight reel of full-extension, acrobatic catches in his portfolio.

As evidenced by his 40-yard dash time of 4.52 seconds, he isn’t a burner that will simply run past a defender, but Polk is fast enough to keep a defense honest. His estimated 10-yard split of 1.52 seconds, however, displays his ability to accelerate out of his release and pose a threat on vertical routes and quick pass concepts.

Regarding his route running, however, that’s an area Polk will need to improve upon if he is to reach closer to his ceiling at the next level. He demonstrates plenty of three-level acumen but needs to expand his release package off the line of scrimmage to thwart press-man coverage.

A more robust bag of head and body movements. along with varying tempo, through the stem, and at the breaks of routes would also be beneficial to facilitating separation and preventing defenses from keying in on his attack.

Where Polk is so valuable is in perhaps the most crucial element of the wide receiver position. Catching the football.

You turn on Polk's game film and his ability to reel in difficult throws pops up consistently. He makes the easy catches, and that shouldn’t go without notice either. He has the occasional drop - all receivers will - but they came across as focus drops more so than technical deficiency.

The Texas native is a very willing contributor in the blocking game. He likes mixing it up.

I recall a particular play in a game against Arizona in which he made a block during a run design, knocking a defender to the turf while in pursuit and allowing extra space for the running back. That play sticks out in my mind because, after the block, Polk gets to his feet and is fired up about the impact he had on his team. He has examples of taking on defensive backs and linebackers with that same fiery attitude.

Originally a commit to Texas Tech, Polk transferred to Washington after his freshman season. The prospect doesn’t have a troublesome or lengthy medical history. He did suffer a fractured clavicle in his right collarbone during the opening game of the 2021 season, resulting in surgical repair and consequently missing the next nine contests.