NFL Draft Profile: Makai Polk, Wide Receiver, Mississippi State Bulldogs
#10
Pos: WR
Ht: 6031
Wt: 195
Hand: 0948
Arm: 3228
Wing: 7778
40: 4.59
Bench: N/A
3-Cone: N/A
Shuttle: 4.36
Vert: 31"
Broad: 09'11"
DOB: 8/4/2001
Eligible: 2022
Richmond, CA
El Cerrito HS
Makai Polk
Mississippi State Bulldogs
One-Liner:
A tall receiver with nuanced route running, Makai Polk lacks the burst, play strength and flexibility to be a high-level receiver in the NFL. He is also inconsistent at the catch point.
Pros:
Mississippi State’s first year under Mike Leach was a highly anticipated one. The offense in 2021, centered around the passing game, largely ran through recent Cal Berkeley transfer Makai Polk. The productive starter has substantial experience in the PAC-12 and the SEC. On the field, he flashes lateral burst and sufficient long speed to capitalize on a defensive back’s mistakes. He decelerates cleanly. The Bulldogs’ star primarily wins with his route running. Polk combines his lateral twitch with salesmanship in his releases to force opponents off balance. Once into the route stem, he actively attempts to manipulate defenders with directional work, speed adjustments, jab steps, head fakes and body language. Before his break, Polk works onto the defensive back’s toes to cause an early hip turn. He concurrently uses a push-off to create space. He has solid hip sink and suddenness in his breaks. Moreover, Polk is a hands catcher who tracks the passes well and exhibits strong body control. He has an impressive catch radius, both high pointing the ball and scooping errant passes off the turf. He is unafraid of contact as he hauls the ball in. On sideline and back-shoulder throws, Polk shields the catch point with his frame. As a blocker, the intriguing receiver displays respectable effort. He may offer special teams value as a gunner and a blocker on return teams.
Cons:
Mississippi State’s offense in 2021 was not without fault. Likewise, Polk, while talented, is a flawed prospect. The tall receiver has a very slender frame. What’s more, he ostensibly has stiff ankles that limit his movement. Polk’s linear burst is average at best and he lacks the speed to separate on vertical routes. This non-differentiating explosiveness and long speed hurt his ability to capitalize on defenders’ poor technique. NFL athletes, in particular, will be able to recover too often. Though he is a strong route runner, Polk wastes time in his releases. Additionally, his failure to use his hands at the line of scrimmage and up the stem leaves his frame open to contact. When defenders land to his chest, Polk’s timing is severely impacted. On underneath routes, the Bulldogs’ go-to target is slow to get his head around. As a result, he makes himself unavailable. While the California native regularly forces defensive backs into mistakes, he fails to properly attack blind spots. Moreover, Polk has too many easy drops on film. He is unreliable on 50-50 balls or back-shoulder throws. He does not shield the catch point on passes over the middle. After the catch, Polk tends to work purely linearly. He does not do enough to make defenders miss. At the next level, the Mississippi State product is an outside-only prospect whose lack of play strength may limit his role on special teams.
Summary:
In a largely forgettable year for the Mississippi State Bulldogs, a recently-acquired transfer managed to stand out and lead the offense. Makai Polk, a former Berkeley Golden Bear, is a tall, long receiver whose route running is very refined for a player of his size. That said, Polk lacks burst, play strength and flexibility. Additionally, he is inconsistent at the catch point. If he develops, Polk can work his way into special teams units and a contributing role in the NFL.
Background:
Born on August 4th, 2001, Makai Polk attended Dorsey High School in Los Angeles, California through his junior season. He transferred to El Cerrito High School in California as a senior. Polk was a multisport athlete in football, basketball, and track. He contributed heavily on both offense and defense throughout his high school tenure. Polk racked up 138 tackles and ten interceptions as a defensive back. As a receiver, he accumulated 30 receptions for 900 yards and ten touchdowns. Polk was rated a three-star athlete in the 2019 class per the 247Sports Composite. He committed to California, despite offers from other top programs such as Arizona, Oregon, Tennessee, Washington, and Colorado. Polk started five games as a freshman and made 19 catches for 295 yards and two touchdowns. The 2020 season was shortened to just four games, limiting Polk to 17 receptions for 183 yards and a touchdown. He decided to enter the transfer portal in January of 2020 and quickly found a new home at Mississippi State. Polk burst onto the stage in 2021, immediately becoming the offensive focal point for the Bulldogs. He made 105 catches for 1,046 yards and nine touchdowns to lead the team at receiver. Despite having multiple years of eligibility remaining, Polk decided to forgo them and enter the 2022 NFL Draft. He participated in the NFL combine but had middling results, notching a 4.59 second official 40-yard dash time, a 31-inch vertical, and a nine-foot, eleven-inch broad jump. Given Polk’s early draft declaration and success in the SEC, he could be a late day-three selection.
Grades:
Current Player Value/Potential Player Value
6.3 / 7.3
Quotes:
“He’s an athletic freak. We knew that when he first came to Cal as a 17-year old and playing for us. He’s a a real special talent. He’s long, can make catches, has great speed. It was great to throw to him; it’s been a while.” -- Chase Garbers on Makai Polk
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