FOXBORO — When Patriots rookie quarterback Drake Maye needs a big play, he’s looking to two members of his draft class in rookie wide receivers Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker.
Maye’s longest completions in Tuesday’s joint practice with the Eagles went to Polk and Baker. Polk beat Eagles cornerback Shon Stephens at the line of scrimmage in 1-on-1s and threw his hand up to let Maye know he was going deep. Maye delivered the ball with touch, and Polk reached out and snagged the ball with his fingertips over his shoulder for a touchdown.
Later, in 7-on-7s, Maye hit Baker over the shoulder on a go route down the right sideline over Eagles starting cornerback Avonte Maddox.
“I think he’s made some of those plays in camp. I think you see him go up whether it’s 1-on-1s, 7-on-7s, made a play today on the sideline today in 7-on-7s, nice catch,” Maye said of Baker Tuesday. “Other than that, he’s always in my ear saying, ‘Hey, throw it up, throw it to me. He and JP (Polk) love having the ball in their hands, and you love that in a receiver.”
Polk has been a consistent target for Maye and starting quarterback Jacoby Brissett. Outside of slot receiver DeMario Douglas, Polk looks like the Patriots’ best wide receiver in training camp.
“He’s another guy that’s just very steady,” head coach Jerod Mayo said Tuesday before practice of Polk. “You watch him come out of college, of course he can run routes, catch the ball and do all those things, but the thing that got me was his blocking. You don’t really see receivers do the things that he did in college. He’s a tough individual. He’s going out here blocking guys like [Kyle] Dugger and all that stuff. It’s great. It’s great to see. That mentality, that attitude at that position is important.”
Polk caught two more passes during 11-on-11 drills and ran all the way to the end zone on a screen from Maye that Baker helped set up with a pick.
“He’s done a good job of answering the call,” Brissett said Monday. “He’s been thrown in a lot of different spots and a lot of different positions for us, and he very rarely misses a beat. He’s going out there, flying around, and he wants to learn and get better. I think that’s the starting point for a young guy. You just want them to come in and learn.”