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The Dallas Cowboys have parted ways with multiple offensive weapons, but they could be adding an up-and-coming talent at wide receiver. While the departure of Michael Gallup doesn’t seem like a big loss, it does mean the Cowboys should reload at the position.
That is why Blogging the Boys writer Brian Martin believes Dallas could draft Washington prospect Ja’Lynn Polk in the second round of the 2024 NFL draft. Polk is coming off a banner year, but he could next take his talents to the Cowboys.
“Wide receiver could be a sneaky “need” for the Cowboys, especially after releasing Michael Gallup. Ja’Lynn Polk will not only erase that need, but also upgrade Dallas’ entire receiving corps,” Martin wrote on March 20. “The 6’2”, 205-pound WR is exactly what they need playing alongside CeeDee Lamb. Polk is a legit deep threat, a nuanced route runner, and one of the better contested catch receivers in the entire 2024 draft class.”
Polk and the Washington Huskies made it to the College Football Playoff National Championship this past season, all while playing his best ball yet. That being said, his entire college career has encouraging signs that he could be a starting WR at the NFL level.
Polk Entering NFL Draft After Huskies Career
Polk initially started his college career at Texas Tech, but transferred after one season in Lubbock, Texas. He had a year to get acclimated with Washington, as Sports Reference shows that he didn’t make significant contributions until the 2022 season.
In his second season in Seattle, Polk caught 41 passes for 694 yards and six touchdowns. While the volume numbers don’t jump off the page, but what does is his yards per reception. Polk averaged 16.9 yards per catch in 2022.
Despite being a much more prominent part of the Huskies’ offense, his average only dropped to 16.8 yards per grab in 2023. He totaled 1159 yards on 69 receptions and scored 10 total touchdowns this past season.
The only concern for Polk is that he is not elite as an athlete. He ran a 4.52 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, and NFL.com’s draft analyst Lance Zierlein explains that he may lack the get-off to win consistently in the NFL.
“Polk’s speed proved slightly below average at the NFL Scouting Combine,” Zierlein wrote. “But his other numbers were strong enough for him to receive consideration starting late on Day 2 of the draft.”
Former Cowboys WR Visiting Ravens
While Dallas figures out their next move at WR, Michael Gallup is looking for his next team. As things stand, it appears as if the Baltimore Ravens are the front-runner for his services.
On March 20, ESPN reporter Adam Schefter reported that Gallup is visiting Baltimore on March 21.
“Cowboys free-agent WR Michael Gallup is scheduled to visit Thursday with the Baltimore Ravens,” Schefter wrote on X.
Gallup is looking for a fresh start after a disappointing end to his time in Dallas. After a 2019 season with 1109 receiving yards and 6 touchdowns, he never hit those same marks again. In fact, the former Cowboys WR has not crossed 500 total yards in any of the past three seasons.
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