Letting tough wide receiver Jakobi Meyers leave in free agency last offseason was one of the more notable gaffes from Bill Belichick’s final season in charge of the New England Patriots. Fortunately, the team has drafted “a faster, more explosive” version of Meyers, a rookie wideout who’s predicted to top 1,000 yards in his debut season in the pros.

That’s according to Pro Football Network’s Dakota Randall, who believes Ja’Lynn Polk will deliver right away in the pros. Polk, the Pats’ second-round pick in the 2024 NFL draft, is somebody Randall thinks “might never develop into a No. 1 target. His ceiling might be that of a faster, more explosive Jakobi Meyers, who’s a very good player.”

Randall also noted how Polk has impressed this offseason: “He was sure-handed, ran great routes, and just carried himself like a pro. He also was taller and faster in person than as advertised.”

Core skills and a good first impression aren’t the only reasons Polk is already being tabbed for big things. A lack of competition makes it “easy to envision Polk earning a big role right away, partly because the Patriots might not have other viable options beyond DeMario Douglas. If Polk stays healthy, he could be a target hog and put up impressive numbers as a rookie,” according to Randall.

This isn’t the first time Polk has generated buzz since hearing his name called on draft day. If he can take up the role Meyers once occupied, the Patriots may finally have the versatility and consistency they need to start making more big plays through the air.

Jakobi Meyers Exit a Costly Mistake for Patriots

Leaving Meyers free to join the Las Vegas Raiders in 2023 proved a costly mistake for the Patriots. His exit left an already struggling offense without a reliable and roving target for the passing game.

Meyers had proved his worth as a resilient and industrious pass-catcher able to get open at multiple levels of the field. He became a dependable option for otherwise floundering quarterbacks Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe.

That dependability showed up when Meyers topped 800 yards receiving in each of his last two seasons in New England. He earned a heavy workload through being versatile enough to attack from multiple spots, including the backfield, like for this catch against the Miami Dolphins, highlighted by Ben Fennell of CBS Sports.