Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - New England Patriots: Ja’Lynn Polk, Javon Baker as Drake Maye Targets; New-Look Pats Offense

Starting point is 00:00:00 Who's the Patriots' primary focus on offense? Well, it's going to be May, but who else holds the winning cards? Stick around, you're about to be locked in to the Locked On Patriots podcast. You are Locked On Patriots, your daily New England Patriots podcast. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Hello to all of you, Foxborough faithful. Thank you once again for making Locked On Patriots a daily part of your New England Patriots coverage. And of course, hopefully your first listen each and every day.

Starting point is 00:00:40 Remember, Locked On Patriots is not only a proud part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team, every day, but we are also free and available on all platforms. Smash that subscribe button, download, follow, wherever you get your podcasts to ensure that you get the latest episode as soon as it's available. I'm your host, Mike DeBate.

Starting point is 00:01:00 I cover your New England Patriots for Patriots Country, so reach out to me and let me know what's on your mind on X at MDABATENFL. And while you're out there showing some love to Locked On Patriots social media style, follow our account on X as well at LO underscore Patriots. And Pats fans, today's episode brought to you by GameTime. Download the GameTime app, create an account, and use the code LOCKEDONNFL for $20 off your first purchase. And Pats fans, it is a new month, a month of May. How appropriate here in Patriots Nation.

Starting point is 00:01:36 Drake May is getting a lot of the headlines, but he's going to need some solid help at receiver in order to grow into his potential. And here today to help us break all down is my good friend and colleague here at Locked On, the host of Locked On Auburn. You know his great written work from Auburn Daily. And of course, he is also my new esteemed colleague at Patriots Country, now powered by Athlon Sports. The great Zach Blackerby joins me today. Welcome to Locked On, Patriots, bud. Excited to talk about this draft class. I mean, it's got a different feel to it

Starting point is 00:02:09 from, I guess, the old era of New England Patriots football. It truly does. There's no question about it. It's a new dawn, a new day, a new month, and definitely a new era in Foxborough under Gerard Mayo and director of scouting Elliot Wolfe, who I have a very sneaking suspicion Zach is probably about to come into his own as general manager here in New England. Again, it is a new era and with Drake May calling signals under center or at the quarterback position at the very least, we all here in Patriots Nation are wondering what type of quarterback Drake May is going to make. And folks, we're going to talk about that a little bit later, including whether or not the Patriots may be wise to start Jacoby Brissett to kick off the season.

Starting point is 00:02:54 However, we all know that at some point, whether it's this year, whether it's at some point midseason, late season, Drake May is going to trot out onto the field and take snaps for the New England Patriots, meaningful snaps this season. One of the things, Zach, that a young quarterback absolutely needs to do is maintain and cultivate a working relationship with his receivers. Now, the Patriots have several veterans on this roster that are going to help Drake evolve into the type of quarterback he's going to be. But everyone in Pat's nation excited about the draftees.

Starting point is 00:03:26 Jalen Polk, Javon Baker. Let's talk about Polk a little bit first, because obviously he was the first receiver chosen. A lot of buzz around him. Some people have kind of been chirping behind the scenes that they believe this kid is a reach, solid player, but they believe that maybe the Patriots may have served themselves better by taking another player in that spot.

Starting point is 00:03:46 The more I look at Jalen Polk, the more I absolutely love this pick. And I think it's right on where the Patriots needed to be. You see things us mere mortals don't see in your expertise in college football. What type of receiver has Jalen Polk been? And what type of weapon do you think he can be for Drake May? I mean, I think he's an underrated part of what made Washington so successful on offense a year ago. And you look at what that team did, they vastly overachieved

Starting point is 00:04:13 and obviously pinnaced the quarterback, rightfully so, and somehow got drafted by the Falcons, which is a wild scenario and a conversation for another time and place. But I think when you look at what he can bring, what Polk can bring is he's obviously very good at catching the football, playing the ball while it's in the air and using his body, contorting his body to make those tough catches

Starting point is 00:04:36 wherever he is on the field. I know that there's some folks in a lot of the scouting reports out there, and I've heard a lot of critics kind of poke at his game and say well he's not super crisp as a route runner he doesn't explode out of his breaks as quick as he should and there are reps where I certainly see that Mike but I don't think it's some like major issue in his game I think he's going to be an effective wide receiver I think you can use him at different levels of the offense. I think you can move them around formations.

Starting point is 00:05:08 And what Washington did a year ago, obviously had Roma Doonsay on the other side of him, but can he be that number one guy year one? I don't know. I don't know. But I do think it's a great situation for him and May to kind of grow into their NFL careers together. I personally love the pick.

Starting point is 00:05:30 Yeah, I do as well. And again, like I said, the more I'm looking at footage on Jalen Polk and the more I'm looking at the relationship he had with Michael Penix, you're starting to see some of the elements he may end up connecting with with Drake May. I think he's going to project here as a solid X receiver. I think his build, his ability for contested catches, he's got a little bit more in the tank than someone like a Jacoby Myers when it comes to getting yards after the catch.

Starting point is 00:05:55 I know that's not his specialty, but he does have the ability to separate a little bit more than Jacoby did here. And he was a beloved receiver for very good reasons. Jacoby was an excellent shorthanded receiver. And that, that to me is what you're getting in Jalen Polk. Jalen's trainer, Delphonte Delman, actually had a chance to speak with CLNS Media earlier this week, and he believes that everything in his radius is within Jalen's ability to catch. He talked about how sure his hands are and made sure that that was a focal point of the reason why the Patriots wanted to draft him. Also talked about his leadership, his passion, the aggression he

Starting point is 00:06:31 brings to the game, but also the respect he brings to his teammates. A game changer is how he described him. And I believe that's absolutely perfect because when you look at the type of player that he was in Washington, this kid, great at making contested catches, really good at making catches in tight windows, and we know Drake May loves to thread the ball into those tight windows. A lot of people think he may do it too much, but you need a receiver that can go up there and get it, and obviously they've got one in Jalen.

Starting point is 00:07:01 Washington's offense had a lot of option routes, a lot of routes based on safety leverage. I think that's where you're going to see Alex Van Pelt use him. And I think that's where you're going to see Drake May find Jalen Polk as a very solid asset. Yeah, I mean, I think they did some NFL stuff in Washington last year. And he understands the professionalism and he understands the type of talent that they're going to have to go up against every single rep. I mean, Washington was a good football team, and they ran through a Pac-12 that was, though it was the last year of the conference, I mean, they were going up against NFL talent

Starting point is 00:07:32 every single week of the season. And they, I mean, he nailed it. I mean, he was absolutely exceptional week in and week out. As a number two receiver going over 1,000 yards in the college game, that's tough. That's tough that's tough to do and he and he was able to do that consistently and i think you nailed it though because he's gonna have to be able to make those contested catches because early on until he develops more as a route runner i do question the type of space that he's going to be able to

Starting point is 00:08:00 generate on his own and there's not some number one option in the patriots offense that's going to be able to generate on his own. And there's not some number one option in the Patriots offense is going to draw a whole lot of attention from defensive back. So, I mean, he's going to have to do a lot of the work themselves and, and hopefully the scheme will help them out. And Drake may, and him will have some sort of relationship and chemistry develop over time

Starting point is 00:08:19 or, you know, make and throw them open, which he did a lot to his receivers at North Carolina. But this, this is going to be a guy that I think is going to take a few minutes, but once he's in the league and kind of can adapt to the speed and get a little bit better as far as, you know, figuring out that burst and getting that extra gear coming out of breaks.

Starting point is 00:08:38 I mean, he's got a, he's got everything else. He's just got to get a little bit more crisp with that route tree. Yeah, absolutely. And that's where it's going to be incumbent on guys like Alex Van Pelt and Tyler Hughes, the new Patriots wide receivers coach. There is a synergy there, folks. Tyler worked with the Washington Huskies last year, so there is a relationship there. You had to think that factored into the Pats' decision to really heavily scout Jalen Polk and someone that I think that Tyler realizes he can utilize not only in this system, but also work with and help him to increase the nuances of that route tree. Because I completely agree with you.

Starting point is 00:09:14 If there is an area in his game that needs development, that's definitely it. definitely you know some concern or maybe hurt from patriot fans that aren't quite over the fact that like belichick couldn't draft a receiver early and it pan out i mean we get flashes of nikhil harry we get flashes of aaron dobson like this guy is not that this guy is a much more natural pass catcher than those guys and so i think that's going to be something that is helpful especially with Drake May it's going to be a surefire thing when it throw when it's thrown his direction it's just can he create the space the spacing is kind of my biggest question mark and it usually takes rookies or usually takes young players two or three years to kind of get acclimated to that unless they're just a special player so we'll see what the coaching can do we'll see what the quarterback um you know chemistry can

Starting point is 00:10:08 do but all in all once again i'll say it a million times i love the pick yeah absolutely and again you hear some of the praise that jalen polk has gotten once again his trainer delfonte diamond saying he has quote hands like glue our good friend and colleague here on Locked On, Spencer McLaughlin, said that he has some of the softest, surest hands he's seen in college football in quite some time. So definitely a guy that can make the catches. The separation and the ability to create space is a little bit of a concern. But who knows? Maybe the Patriots' second receiver drafted might be able to quell that storm a little bit.

Starting point is 00:10:44 This guy is definitely an explosive player, and we're going to see how he's going to fit in with Drake May in just a moment. That's right. We're talking UCF's Jayvon Baker when this episode of the Locked On Patriots podcast continues, a proud part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Walk-on listeners, passion, drive, and patience is what brings home that winning trophy. You know what? It's also what keeps your ride or die alive.

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Starting point is 00:13:37 Sports and my good friend Zach Blackerby here today on Locked On. Zach, in the previous segment, we talked a lot about Jalen Polk and how he's going to assimilate into this offense, led by Alex Van Pelt and led on the field eventually by Drake May. But the Patriots were not done just drafting Jalen Polk. They took at number 110 UCF wideout Javon Baker. And this is a guy that brought a lot of excitement through Patriots Nation. Go back and take a look at some of the tweets that were flying around on Saturday. Pats Nation was salivating for this one and they

Starting point is 00:14:09 got it. And Baker's electric style of play, I think, could add a dimension to the Patriots passing game that we haven't seen in recent years. From a logistical standpoint, what is it about Jayvon Baker's game that makes you excited as a Patriots fan? I think he's lightning in a bottle. I think he's dynamic. I think he's explosive, as you said. And you just never know if he gets his hands on the football, he may score. He's so good both running routes as well as when he has the ball in his hands. And that's not something you can say about a lot of these receivers in the class,

Starting point is 00:14:45 especially where he was drafted. I think I really think New England got a steal with this. Sometimes I think he'll kind of rush through a progression a little quick or maybe take a break earlier than he's supposed to. And that's been something I've read on several other reports too. But this is a guy when you watch his tape, I think he's a other reports too. But this is a guy, when you watch his tape, I think he's a quarterback's best friend. This is a guy who wants to fight for the football for his quarterback. If it's later in the progression and in the pattern, he'll kind of break his route off and work his way back to the quarterback.

Starting point is 00:15:21 We saw him do that a lot at UCF. This is a guy that Alabama wanted within their program and ultimately ended up at UCF because of you know all the million other draft picks that were in front of them and then he goes to a UCF offense a Gus Malzahn offense that's really not known for using wide receivers effectively but this guy is just his overall ability i mean it was it was malzahn proof which is not not crazy say i mean you think about all these receivers that went through that system that didn't do anything in college and they get to the nfl and it's like all of a sudden there's something in the nfl wants them arius slayton with the giants anthony schwartz did some stuff

Starting point is 00:16:00 uh with cleveland before his uh his career kind of fizzled out a little bit. But I think Baker is a great piece. And as far as where they got him in the draft, I think it's a no-brainer. It was a great pick. Yeah, absolutely. And again, one that a lot of Patriots fans are seeing as a steal. You take a look at what he was able to do at UCF. Again, started 13 of 14 games, 56 receptions, 796 yards and five touchdowns in his first season with the Knights.

Starting point is 00:16:30 Then as a senior in 2023, he follows that up. First team, all big 12, not a bad line item to put on your resume, right? 52 receptions, 1139 yards, seven touchdowns. So the kid clearly has statistical prowess without any question. You mentioned the route running. I think he is a smoother route runner than Jalen Polk just off the right out of the box. I think that he's going to show that on the field. But again, this is a kid that can be very effective on deep routes. He's really, really good and nails the steps at the top of his route. And that's such a great trait for a young wide receiver coming into this league.

Starting point is 00:17:06 You want to be able to coach that. I think he comes in almost NFL ready in that regard, and he could be someone that the Patriots could lean on in early days. Yeah, I could see him making a splash almost immediately. And I think that's saying something once again, especially with where they took him in the draft, he's going to, he's going to compete for targets early on. It doesn't matter who's at quarterback.

Starting point is 00:17:28 This is going to be a guy that I think quarterbacks are going to love the throw to. And I just love the savvy that he's got the, the Moxie that he's got the swag that he's got, Mike. I mean, he gets out there and he puts out a quote um and i'm paraphrasing but like he makes everybody stand up it's like this guy certainly has the confidence he believes in himself and you want that and a number one wide receiver you absolutely do i talked about that a little bit with my guest steve balistrieri here yesterday it's almost like the top gun line where

Starting point is 00:18:02 commander mike metcalf says you know i like that in a pilot that's pretty arrogant considering the company that you're in but that's the type of attitude you want at this position and honestly zach i don't think it's something the patriots have had in quite some time um you know they've had guys that are confident in their ability kendrick born jacoby myers a couple of years ago these guys are confident don't let the humility fool you but jayvon is going to tell you exactly how he feels. And if he feels he can beat you, he's going to tell you another one of the quotes that we got a chance to get from him on Saturday was I'm going to catch the ball. That's what I do. I don't care if it's out of bounds, I'm going to catch it. Uh, that's the type of dedication that you want. Now, obviously folks, he's not being literal, but at the same time,

Starting point is 00:18:42 that type of confidence to know that you're going to come down with whatever's in the air intended for you to grab is something he's going to do all he can. And I also like the fact that he's willing to be versatile. He said that he can play the X, the Y, it doesn't matter. He just wants to go out, contribute to this team and help them win. I think he feels a little slighted that he dropped to number 110 in this draft. I think he wants to make teams pay for it. That chip on his shoulder could pay dividends for the Pats. Yeah, they're not the same player.

Starting point is 00:19:11 And I might be reaching here a little bit. But as far as just the type of off the field contribution, like I see a little bit of I see a little bit of Edelman with this just as far as like rallying the room talking the talk and he's going to walk the walk because of the work that he's going to put in and it's like hey i'm willing to do whatever it takes to make this offense better i don't know i think we've needed somebody like that in foxborough and and now i think they've got it with baker so i love the addition of it and it's like all of a sudden sudden now, okay, you look at these two kids that we've talked about already, and then all of a sudden,

Starting point is 00:19:48 with what they did last year with DeMario and then with – I'm a kindred-born truther through and through. It's like, okay, New England's starting to form a little bit of a respectable wide receiver room for the first time in several years. It's starting to come together. Absolutely. It really is. And you look at the season DeMario had last year and really kind of coming out of obscurity. I know a lot of Patriots fans identified a fire in him early on, and it was nice to see him come to fruition here in this offense. But you get him

Starting point is 00:20:21 in the later rounds, definitely a draft diamond in the rough that the Patriots plucked out. He was their best receiver last year. Kendrick was on his way to being the Patriots' best receiver last year. Glad to see him back in the fold and glad to see him healthy. Most important, beyond anything, he can be a contributor. And now you're looking at guys that can come in and learn from those guys like Polk, like Baker. They are. They're starting to develop that young wide receiver core that could end up being a very respectable one in sooner time frame, folks, than a lot of people may have you believe.

Starting point is 00:20:52 So, Zach, awesome insight. Always love talking wide receivers and always love talking offensive football with you. We're going to continue that in just a moment, but we're going to talk about the main man, because after all, it is May 1st, and I know the memes are driving around out there on social media but it is time to talk a little drake may because bottom line zach if jaylen polk and jayvon baker are going to succeed in this league drake may is going to be a huge part of the reason why is drake may going to be the key cog in

Starting point is 00:21:23 the patriots offensive machine for many years to come? Conventional wisdom would tell you that, but that question may not be as easy to answer as you think. Zach and I are going to explain why when this episode of the Locked On Patriots podcast wraps up right here on the Locked On Podcast Network, your team, every day. All right, game off. We got gotta pause here to talk more about monopoly go i know what you're saying flag on the play mike you already talked about that but there is just so much good stuff in this game in monopoly go you can team up with friends for time tournaments where you work together to build up each other's boards. The more you win together, the more awesome prizes you unlock.

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Starting point is 00:23:07 and now, freshly, of course, of Patriots Country of Athlon Sports. Zach, we've talked wideouts. We've talked who's going to be the great battery mate now between Drake May and either Jalen Polk or Javon Baker. I think they both have the chance, but you and I both know it's going to come down to Drake. It's going to come down to what he's able to do on the field and how he's able to run this offense. An interesting point that I heard from Ramondre Stevenson yesterday when he spoke to the media at Gillette Stadium. He's excited by the incorporation of a new element to this offense

Starting point is 00:23:41 by offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt. And you and I, all Patriots fans, we saw this coming. He's incorporating a lot more outside zone run concepts. The Patriots have been gap heavy for a number of years. That looks like it's tailing off. And he's bringing that emphasis on the run to set up play action. And this is exactly what Alex did in Cleveland. And this is the type of offense that he's been used to coordinating or at least assisting in, in all of his coaching career.

Starting point is 00:24:10 A lot of people have described Drake May as the ideal fit in an Alex Van Pelt offense, someone that loves to lean on the running game to facilitate play action, especially taking those deep shots down the field, which he's known for. My question to you is having seen Drake perform at a collegiate level day in and day out. Do you believe this is the ideal fit the Patriots fans hope it is? And what does it mean for the offense moving forward under Drake May? Yeah, I mean, I think, uh, I think one Ramadri Stevenson is one of the more underrated players in the NFL. I mean, I think he's a fantastic, a fantastic running back.

Starting point is 00:24:46 And so seeing him in that role, as far as being able to attack the outside more, I think that's, that's exciting in and of itself. But I mean, I think that's what made Drake may so desired by so many teams. And the fact that he fell to three to new England, and it was kind of a perfect spot is he can do so many different things because he has the arm talent and he's able to kind of break down the game quicker mentally than some of his other guys that were drafted and other quarterbacks that were drafted this past weekend.

Starting point is 00:25:18 I think that's kind of what separates May from a lot of these other guys. And so regardless of what scheme you run, I think May fits a lot of different pro style type things. You're not asking him to run in a ton, but you may ask him to roll out of the pocket. I think he's got the ability to do that. I think he's got the mental capacity to make the right decision consistently over the course of a game, of a season,

Starting point is 00:25:42 and obviously over the course of a career. So yeah, I love all of it. I think it's a good fit. It's just going to be how long does it take him to get used to the NFL game? And also, what does the battle between him and Jacoby potentially look like this offseason? I'm so glad that you mentioned Jacoby, because one of the things that we always hear touted about Drake May is his arm strength, his athleticism. You fall in love with it when you watch clips, whether it be on YouTube or whether it be anywhere, highlights of Drake May playing football. It's exciting.

Starting point is 00:26:15 And Patriots fans, again, haven't had that type of quarterback play here in quite some time. They're looking forward to seeing it. At the same time, a couple of the scouts that I've had a chance to speak with since Drake has been drafted say one thing that I don't think he gets enough credit for, meaning Drake May, folks, is his ability to navigate all areas of the field. And that, to me, is where Jacoby is going to be such a great fit because he is someone that will be able to teach the younger guys the nuances of navigating the field. That's his area of expertise as well

Starting point is 00:26:45 and drake alluded to this earlier when he spoke with weei on monday his first major interview with a media outlet up here in new england and he says i want to learn from jacoby i want to learn from all the guys in that room for me i just want to earn the respect for the guys that i'm playing with get to know them and all the stuff on the field is going to come after that. I'm getting ready to learn, and I'm soaking it all in. That to me shows that he's willing to come in and be the sponge that I think a young quarterback absolutely needs to be to be successful. Drake gets it right out of the box, and I think that's going to serve him well. So it wouldn't surprise me if the competition level is equal to see jacoby brissett get the nod to start the season it may end up being the best thing for drake to hold the clipboard or

Starting point is 00:27:32 showing my age here folks hold the tablet learn a little more get the nuances and then be able to move forward um obviously if the talent level for drake may and and the experience level and not only that, but the progression is far beyond what the Patriots had hoped, yeah, he'll win the competition and he'll be out there. Gerard Mayo has said it. We're going to play the best guys. And I think that's something he learned from Bill Belichick. And I think that's something he will do.

Starting point is 00:27:58 But ultimately, if it does mean sitting behind Jacoby for a little bit, I think Dre's attitude is the right one. And I think Jacoby's skill set as a mentor is the perfect fit for him here in New England. Yeah, we've seen this be successful in other places. I mean, you know, the whole Jordan Love situation, not identical, but as far as the benefits that you get to not be thrown into the fire, I think it's a good thing, especially when you look at the rest of new england's roster i mean we just went through the wide receivers there's a lot of upside

Starting point is 00:28:29 in the wide receiver room but very few surefire things that are going to be okay yeah you know these two or three guys are going to be you know pushing to be an all pro this year you're not seeing a whole lot of that on the offensive line either right um there's just a lot of question marks on this offense and even what it's going to look like outside of from andre stevenson so i'm all for don't throw drake may in right away give them time uh to kind of cook and get give them time to prepare and then you know maybe you make that change halfway through the season or a few games into the season or maybe not even this season at all and i know some patriot fans aren't gonna love that because it's a third overall pick you want to see the third overall

Starting point is 00:29:10 pick there's excitement around you know this new era of patriots football but long term i i think it would be best for the franchise to to let's hold drake may uh until he's ready absolutely and folks yeah to bring it all full circle, I opened today's show by saying it's going to be May. Don't worry. It will be. Even if it's not right off the bat, it doesn't mean that the Patriots have not chosen a quarterback

Starting point is 00:29:37 that can lead them back to prominence in short order. I think they've got the right guy at that position. I think they've got the right guys around him to build something special here in New England. Now it's going to be all about whether or not the coaching staff can bring it all together and return winning ways to New England. I think they're well on their way to doing it, but time will tell, my friend.

Starting point is 00:29:54 That's always the great equalizer. What can I say? Zach, thanks so much for dropping by here today. You will definitely be a frequent guest here on Locked On Patriots. Folks, you can check out all of Zach's great work on Locked On Auburn. My personal favorite listen on the network. Of course, I'm being a little biased, but that's okay. We all love to do that.

Starting point is 00:30:14 But no, all kidding aside, it really is a phenomenal listen. I highly encourage you to check it out and check out all of Zach's great written work alongside my written work on Patriots country of Athlon sports. But thanks so much for joining me here today. Uh, and, uh, we look forward to having you back on locked on Patriots real soon. Yeah. Let's talk soon. Go Pats, Mike.

Starting point is 00:30:34 Absolutely. And folks, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to join us here today on locked on Patriots. Don't forget. We still have draft analysis and the return of the Monday mailbag coming up here. So make sure to get those questions in to have them featured because our main man Murph will be back in the saddle to answer all of your questions alongside yours truly. In the meantime, I'm Mike DeBate and I remind you all to stay safe and to stay well

Starting point is 00:30:59 and to be the change you wish to see in the world. On behalf of my good friend and colleague, Zach Blackerby, have a great day, and we'll see you back here again tomorrow on Locked on Patriots.

Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - New England Patriots: Ja’Lynn Polk, Javon Baker as Drake Maye Targets; New-Look Pats Offense

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