Can Makai Polk Overcome the Odds to Earn a Spot with the Giants?

After bouncing between practice squads last year, will Makai Polk be able to bust through a very competitive Giants receivers room?

Author:
Quinn Slaven
Publish date:
Jun 30, 2023 7:08 PM EDT

In this story:

New York Giants

Makai Polk, Wide Receiver

Height: 6-foot-3 | Weight: 197 pounds
2021 Stats*: 13 games, 105 receptions, 1,046 yards, 9 touchdowns

*College stats at Mississippi State.

Makai Polk entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Baltimore Ravens in 2022. Following training camp, the Ravens signed Polk to the practice squad only to release him one month later. The next day, the New York Giants added him to their practice squad. Polk has yet to play in a regular-season NFL game.

Statistically, he was one of the best wide receivers in Mississippi State's history. Polk led the SEC with a school-record 105 receptions and racked up 1,046 yards.

Polk was elevated to the active roster for the Divisional Round playoff game against the Philadelphia Eagles but didn't see the field.

With new offensive weapons on New York’s sideline in 2023, including receivers Jalin Hyatt and Parris Campbell, Polk will face an uphill battle to earn reps this season.

Click here for other Giants Training Camp Player Profiles

Best Case Scenario

Whether it’s a scheme fit, playbook comprehension, or competition at the position, there are plenty of reasons why a college standout could have a slow start to his professional career.

Based on his college performances at the University of California for two seasons and at MSU, Polk displayed elite possession skills and sure hands. Both are extremely useful for depth receivers who often get targets underneath against an opponent’s weaker defensive backs.

Polk needs to expand his route tree beyond comebacks and posts, which he ran to perfection in college. The more versatility he presents in training camp, the more pressure he’ll place on the new faces in the wide receiver room.

Worst Case Scenario

Polk's shortcomings in making an NFL roster have been well-documented. While he has hung around on practice squads, by the time the season rolls around, there is only so much time during the day to develop up-and-coming young players who aspire to do greater things at the next level.

Barring injury, Polk’s worst-case scenario for 2023 is he ends up in search of a new home where he can continue his development. His core skills suggest he certainly belongs in the NFL and can help test defensive backs in practice with his athleticism, but another year without exposure cuts his career shorter.

Click here for other Giants Training Camp Player Profiles

What to Expect in 2023

NFL teams typically retain six wide receivers on the active roster and maybe two additional ones on the practice squad. Will Polk be among the practice squad players?

He has upside, good length, and impressive ball skills. However, his lack of consistent college production and his not being a great separator underneath or the owner of elite deep speed limits his game.

Polk also has a high football IQ and impressive ball skills, but he's a work in progress that needs to beef up his play strength and refine his route running to give him some sort of advantage over defenders that outmuscle him coming off the snap.

The numbers don't favor Polk's chances of making the roster, and he's not exactly a lock for a spot on the practice squad either, but we'll see how training camp unfolds and if the injury bug has any say in who ends up getting reps and who doesn't.