Time At State Got Polk Ready For Sundays
April 25, 2022 | Football, Joel Coleman
Makai Polk came to Mississippi State, set records and now has his sights set on fulfilling his NFL dreams.
STARKVILLE – He spent only a year in Starkville, but man, what a year it was.
It was January of 2021 when Makai Polk announced he was transferring from California to Mississippi State. For Polk the goal was clear. He'd always dreamed of playing in the NFL. MSU head coach Mike Leach and the Air Raid offense gave him a splendid chance.
"I felt like coming into here, I had a really good opportunity to play, and it was on me whether I was going to maximize it or not," Polk said. "It was everything I envisioned and everything I expected."
In only 12 months' time, a combination of Polk's incredible talent and the Air Raid turned Polk into one of the country's top pass catchers. Come later this week with the NFL Draft beginning Thursday, Polk's professional goal is on the cusp of being realized.
To say Polk's time with MSU was a win-win situation is an incredible understatement. Polk is headed towards playing on Sundays and to get to this point, he did things never seen before at Mississippi State.
In 2021, Polk shattered the school's single-season record for receptions as he caught 105 balls, topping the previous high of 88 set by Fred Ross.
The single season receiving yardage record? Yeah, Polk heads that State list now, too. Polk racked up 1,046 yards in his fall spent wearing maroon and white.
Players dream of making a splash. For Polk, his time spent at Mississippi State was more like one of the biggest cannonballs into the pool you've ever seen.
He set a new standard for Bulldog pass catchers and along the way, showed NFL teams he's not only skilled enough to make an impact, but he can be a leading man.
"I felt this year helped me get used to that role of being the top receiver on the team and getting a lot of balls," Polk said. "That helped me a lot and it prepared me moving forward."
Of course, Polk wasn't handed his big role at Mississippi State. Oh no, he had to earn it. That he did, every step of the way.
You saw the production on gameday. What you didn't see was Polk was just as locked in and productive on practice days, when there was no spotlight or television cameras rolling.
Polk was special for the Bulldogs. Just ask his position coach – MSU outside receivers coach Steve Spurrier, Jr. He can quickly rattle off several reasons why Polk was able to elevate his game at MSU and put himself knocking at the door of the NFL.
"He's really as good of a route runner as I've ever coached," Spurrier, Jr. said. "I think he could step into any offense and be very successful because he understands how to run routes. He understands how to read defenses. He just knows how to play the position. He was one of those guys that had a base intellect that was above and beyond most people. Then, he just knew how to play… He's consistently a really, really good player. That's what really separates him from other guys."
Then there are the intangibles. Polk is full of those.
"He's a very healthy guy," Spurrier Jr. continues. "He was never hurt. That's unusual at that position. Every now and then a guy gets nicked up and misses a few days. He never missed a day here. So, he had all the variables you're looking for. And yeah, the first day he got here and started running around, we knew he was a talented and intelligent young man – sharp in the meeting room. He understood when you coached him and he was a very coachable young man. But again, I can't say enough about his toughness and his resiliency and his ability to come back every day and play hard… The NFL talks a lot about that. Who are guys that are injury prone and might make it and might not, and who are guys that we can count on being here every day? There's a lot of value in that. He possesses that. He's a talented young man that's tough. He'll get his opportunity and he'll survive in that league."
Polk's toughness will let him survive. His ability and smarts have him on a path to thrive.
As Polk moves forward, his impact will long be felt in Starkville. He left Mississippi State in a better place.
"I have a ton of tape on Makai [that I can use] – by position, by route, by play, in game, in practice, in one-on-ones," Spurrier, Jr. said. "What he did and how he did it is kind of a staple for how we're trying to do things. We certainly emphasize that all the time."
And of course, Polk is in a better place himself because of being with the Bulldogs.
"It's been a blessing," Polk said. "They made my dream come true. All my life I've been dreaming of going to the NFL and it helped me tremendously to come down here [to Mississippi State]. I'm really appreciative for all those that helped me and I'm really thankful."
