With their first pick on Day 2 of the 2019 NFL draft, the Jets selected Florida EDGE Jachai Polite.
New York used the No. 68 overall pick in the third round on Polite, who fills a position of need for the Jets. Prior to pre-draft interviews, Polite was a projected first-round pick, but dropped to the third round due to character concerns.
In three seasons at Florida, Polite recorded 78 tackles, 28.5 TFLs and 15 sacks. In his first two seasons with the Gators, Polite served as a part-time player. As a junior, he ascended to a starting role and registered 45 tackles, 19.5 TFLs and 11 sacks. He also forced six fumbles, deflected four passes and was a finalist for the Chuck Bednarik Award, which is given to the best defensive player in college football.
After a dominant junior campaign, things began to go downhill for Polite beginning at the NFL draft combine, where he ran a disappointing 4.84 40-yard dash. Interviews also left scouts questioning Polite’s maturity. To make matters worse, he injured his hamstring at Florida’s pro day and was unable to complete his workout.
Polite’s pre-draft performance left a lot to be desired, but the Jets looked past that and focused on his production at Florida. With that, general manager Mike Maccagnan is hoping Polite can bounce back and help solve New York’s pass-rush problems.
