The Biggest Bust (Harry vs Polk)

[BennyBledsoe]

Jackson was much worse for me because I still had hope that we could draft an impact WR back then.

By the time we got to Harry, I all but lost hope that we could draft a good WR. That was before I even saw his YouTube highlights. Once I saw that, I was certain he would be a bust. A WR who could not get separation in college, and had to rely on out jumping and muscling future insurance agents, had no hope in the NFL. His tape made him the much worse pick.

Yeah, if I ever see the words 'contested catch specialist' in another scouting report, I'm going to say.... RUN! RUN FAR AWAY! That means the clown couldn't get open against college DBs, never mind NFL DBs.

 

[PatsFan2]

Jalynn to retire after playing 1 season, N'Keal aint looking so bad by comparison...

Should NOT impact our trade compensation.

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/49515016/saints-place-wr-jalynn-polk-24-reserve-retired-list

Atleast he can tell his Grandkids he was the Second Patrots pick from Hofer Drake Maye's Draft. We can bet he's going milk that: what a horrid Draft.

 

[Triumph]

The 11 highest draft picks the Pats have spent on WR in the past 2 decades:

1. N'Keal Harry. 2019, #32.
2. Chad Jackson. 2006, #36 (trade up).
4. Ja'Lynn Polk. 2024, #37.
5. Tyquan Thornton. 2022, #50.
6. Aaron Dobson. 2013, #59.
7. Kyle Williams. 2025, #69.
8. Brandon Tate. 2009, #83.
9. Taylor Price. 2010, #90.
10. Josh Boyce. 2013, #102.
11. Javon Baker. 2024, #110.

Not an inspiring track record, and doesn't exactly bode well for Kyle Williams.

Harry made no sense at all because he was built like a TE, not fast and even Brady couldnt up his game. Same draft - AJ Brown 51st, DK Metcalf 64th, Terry McLaurin 76th

32nd pick is god awful bad, but Polk at 37th isnt much better. The only saving grace is no WR picked after Polk has done anything.

 

[gobesmug]

Harry made no sense at all because he was built like a TE, not fast and even Brady couldnt up his game. Same draft - AJ Brown 51st, DK Metcalf 64th, Terry McLaurin 76th

32nd pick is god awful bad, but Polk at 37th isnt much better. The only saving grace is no WR picked after Polk has done anything.

Exactly. Polk was a reach and WR never should have been drafted there.

The pick should have been Cooper Dejean.

Harry being drafted over AJ Brown pissed me off so much on draft night. I gave up looking into WRs after that.

Brown would have been amazing with Brady and it's possible we win #7 if AJ was taken instead.

With Polk at least it helped us get rid of Mayo at HC

 

[Since1960]

Between Polk (best hands in the NFL) and Baker (will make people in wheelchairs stand up), we got a combined:
13 receptions for 91 yds.
What a haul!

Makes Ty Thornton look like a future inductee for the “Hall of Fame”!

 

[Tunescribe]

 

[The Gr8est]

Don’t look at ME, you got MY vote!

 

[The Gr8est]

So who looks worse?

The Pats or the Saints?

 

[Patsfan1645]

So who looks worse?

The Pats or the Saints?

The Saints all day because they already saw what this guy looked like at the NFL level and still decided to bring him in.

 

[scott99]

It’s mind boggling how poorly the Pats are at drafting receivers over the past 15 years, even with regime changes & position coaching changes. Can’t draft and develop receivers.

I have to give credit to Boutte & Douglas, two very late round WRs who have been somewhat productive.

 

[Wozzy]

The 10 highest draft picks the Pats have spent on WR in the past 2 decades:

1. N'Keal Harry. 2019, #32.
2. Chad Jackson. 2006, #36 (trade up).
3. Ja'Lynn Polk. 2024, #37.
4. Tyquan Thornton. 2022, #50.
5. Aaron Dobson. 2013, #59.
6. Kyle Williams. 2025, #69.
7. Brandon Tate. 2009, #83.
8. Taylor Price. 2010, #90.
9. Josh Boyce. 2013, #102.
10. Javon Baker. 2024, #110.

Not an inspiring track record, and doesn't exactly bode well for Kyle Williams.

Tyquan is starting for the Chiefs this year.

Kyle Williams is an entirely different regime, he starts a new page and is already looking competent.

 

[BennyBledsoe]

On the other hand, we do pretty good with *what we'd call now* third day receivers. Even other team's third day receivers. Or even undrafted! I can only think of two homegrown receivers that were *what we'd call now* day two picks in Deion Branch and if you wish to count tight ends, Gronk.

 

[Thelonious]

The 10 highest draft picks the Pats have spent on WR in the past 2 decades:

1. N'Keal Harry. 2019, #32.
2. Chad Jackson. 2006, #36 (trade up).
3. Ja'Lynn Polk. 2024, #37.
4. Tyquan Thornton. 2022, #50.
5. Aaron Dobson. 2013, #59.
6. Kyle Williams. 2025, #69.
7. Brandon Tate. 2009, #83.
8. Taylor Price. 2010, #90.
9. Josh Boyce. 2013, #102.
10. Javon Baker. 2024, #110.

Not an inspiring track record, and doesn't exactly bode well for Kyle Williams.

It's sort of terrifying to see it laid out like that.

 

[Thelonious]

I feel like Harry was a terrible NFL player whereas Polk looked like someone who should have never even been on an NFL roster to begin with. Harry looked like a guy who comes in to camp on the 90-man roster and fights to make the 53. Polk looked like someone who gets a non roster invite to an offseason camp to try and make the 90-man roster. His lack of NFL athleticism was downright startling for someone drafted that highly.

The Harry bust was probably more impactful because of where the team was at that point, but feels fairly obvious that Pol was a worse pick in the 30s than Harry was IMO.

Yep. It was weird. I don't remember anybody making a sound case at the time for drafting him as high as they did. Maybe he was a "nice guy" or something. That "nice guy" ******** goes a long way in these decadent times.

 

[Rob0729]

In fairness Polk, his shoulder may never have been fixed properly. He at least has an injury excuse. Harry doesn’t have that excuse.

Polk retiring after missing an entire season last year and only practicing two days this year seems to be that something may be wrong with his physically. He hadn’t even practiced long enough to know if he wasn’t going to make the team with the Saints. Their first padded practice is today.

 

[Triumph]

Between Polk (best hands in the NFL) and Baker (will make people in wheelchairs stand up), we got a combined:
13 receptions for 91 yds.
What a haul!

I will never understand why the Pats dont pouch a personnel guy from a team that is adept at drafting WRs.

 

[rkarp1]

I will never understand why the Pats dont pouch a personnel guy from a team that is adept at drafting WRs.

I don't think it is the predraft work.
I think it is the offense, the coaching and at times the QB

 

[Wozzy]

I don't think it is the predraft work.
I think it is the offense, the coaching and at times the QB

Taking Polk in the 2nd round was an abomination. Pure stupidity.

 

[mayoclinic]

It’s mind boggling how poorly the Pats are at drafting receivers over the past 15 years, even with regime changes & position coaching changes. Can’t draft and develop receivers.

I have to give credit to Boutte & Douglas, two very late round WRs who have been somewhat productive.

They have done far better rounds 6-7 (Edelman, Boutte, Douglas) than rounds 1-4 total.

Just an abysmal ROI.

 

[rkarp1]

Tyquan is starting for the Chiefs this year.

Kyle Williams is an entirely different regime, he starts a new page and is already looking competent.

I would think Worthy and Rice are the top two in KC, but you gonna be you