Why NFL analysts think Patriots’ WR draft picks ‘fit really well’

From there, New England started to build Maye’s supporting cast. Adding two wideouts early on, they picked up Washington’s Ja’Lynn Polk (Round 1, No. 37) and UCF’s Javon Baker (Round 4, No. 110). 

“I like the receivers that they drafted and I like them in part because they fit really well with what Drake Maye apparently does well,” Perry said. “Two things we knew about Drake Maye at North Carolina: he threw the ball down the field really effectively and he attacked the middle of the field unlike any other quarterback in this year’s draft class.”

During his two years as a starter at UNC, the 21-year-old threw for 63 touchdowns, 16 interceptions, 8,018 passing yards, and a 64.9 percent completion percentage over 30 games (26 starts). 

“Your middle of the field guy is now Ja’Lynn Polk. That’s a guy who’s going to do all the dirty work, he’s not afraid to go over the middle and take a hit, try to break a tackle. He’s going to block,” Perry said about the Washington wide receiver who caught 69 passes for 1,159 yards and nine touchdowns last season. “Not a game breaker by any stretch but he’s going to do that stuff over the middle for Drake Maye.”

As for Maye’s deep-threat target, Ja’von Baker – who led the Big 12 in receiving yards last year (1,139) – could be the answer. 

NBC Sports Boston’s Tom E. Curran also supported the new additions to the Patriots’ wide receiver core, noting that both players have proven themselves in the college ranks. 

“The fact that they weren’t projections, both of them combined at 2,300 yards in 2023. They had 16 touchdowns, they had about 120 catches combined at different schools. Polk was a 16.9 yards per catch guy, Baker was 21.9. Those are astronomical numbers,” Curran said. “If you have a quarterback who is ‘mezza mezza’ and hopefully improving as an underneath thrower but certainly loves to go deep and showed it time and time again – give him guys who are adept at winning 50/50 balls.”