As the 2022 football season nears its end, much focus is beginning to shift toward notable draft prospects and where they could land. While many are still learning about the top prospects, I figured I’d jump the gun on my early sleeper for the 2022 draft — Makai Polk.

Player Profile

It’s rare you see a true junior wide receiver make a substantial jump while transferring from the Pac-12 to the SEC of all places, but Makai Polk did just that last season at Mississippi State. After amassing just 478 yards and three TDs in his first two seasons at Cal, Polk departed for Starkville and immediately made an impact, recording 105 catches for 1,046 yards and nine touchdowns in the strongest conference in college football. His breakout season included strong showings against Alabama, Texas A&M, Ole Miss, Auburn and LSU, who all ranked top 40 in defensive efficiency.

Polk managed to break Mississippi State’s single season receptions record by almost 20 receptions, and also broke the Bulldogs’ single season receiving yards mark in the final game of the season.

Originally committing to Cal as a three-star recruit and a top 100 player in the class of 2018, Polk flashed the potential to be great, but between a change in coordinators from Beau Baldwin to Bill Musgrave, as well as a shortened 2020 season, there just wasn’t much opportunity to get the consistent targets he desired. Polk’s most notable game at Cal was when he recorded his first and only game above 100 yards as a Golden Bear during the Redbox Bowl his freshman year. In comparison, he had four games above that mark this season alone.

All in all, Polk’s career trajectory has continued to skyrocket higher and higher as the years go on. Three years of starting experience and continuous improvement, regardless of QB play, is about as good of a resume as you can have, even if the total stats aren’t as pretty.

Player Breakdown

There is a ridiculous amount to like about Polk, and that much is evident on film. Polk is listed at 6-foot-3, 200 pounds by ESPN, and as high as 6’4″ by 247 Sports. His combination of fluid movement and incredible catch radius is rare to see, and his ability to find soft spots in zone coverage fit well in Mike Leach’s air raid.

Despite a scheme built around creating yards after the catch off of short routes, Polk flashed the length to play above the rim and attack contested catches. It will be interesting to see how he fares against more man coverage and press looks, but he certainly has the release and size to win in different ways. Polk’s body control is also worth noting, as he made several impressive back shoulder catches in college and never struggled with getting his feet down.

The main flaws in Polk’s game are less related to his actual abilities and more the scheme he played in. While Mike Leach’s air raid creates gaudy numbers, it’s notorious for having a limited route tree and relying on lots of underneath crossers and hooks. There’s no reason why Polk shouldn’t be capable of developing a full route tree, but the fact is we have yet to get an extended look at him in a pro style offense.

The obvious best fit for Polk would be the Arizona Cardinals, where he could run a somewhat similar offense to what he strived in at Mississippi State, but I think he’s well suited for most modern offenses. Another interesting spot would be the Atlanta Falcons, seeing as they’ll likely be losing a WR or two next season.

In terms of comparisons, Calvin Ridley and Darnell Mooney were some of the first players to come to mind. Polk is a harder player to profile physically, but in terms of play style, the similarities are hard to deny.

Overall, Polk has all the makings to be a steal in this year’s draft. In a league where eight of the top 10 leaders in receiving yards were day two or three picks, there’s no reason to sleep on Polk’s abilities. 2021 proved to be a life-changing year for Makai Polk, and the sky is the limit for 2022 and onward.