The Jets hope to upgrade their pass rush after taking Florida edge Jachai Polite with the 68th overall pick.
Polite fills an immediate need for the Jets, as the third-round pick was one of best pass rushers in the draft. The Gator was a terror in 2018, finishing with 11 sacks and 19.5 tackles for a loss while leading the FBS with six forced fumbles.
With Quinnen Williams anchoring the defensive line, Polite figures to provide a spark on the edge alongside Jordan Jenkins. He’ll be the Jets’ best pure pass rusher from the jump and could turn into a solid contributor in Gregg Williams’ defense.
Of course, Polite is not a perfect prospect. That’s why he fell.
The biggest issue with Polite is his maturity and character. At the NFL combine, Polite didn’t test well, looked incredibly slow in the 40-yard dash and didn’t take well to constructive criticism in his team interviews.
Polite is talented for sure, but there are serious questions about how he will fair with adversity at the NFL level. His raw talent should get him on the field sooner rather than later, but it might take some humbling and good coaching for him to turn into the pass rushing star the Jets need.
