Polite Garners Second Team AP All-American Honors

Monday, December 10, 2018 | Football

Polite is the first Gators defensive end to garner at least second team AP All-America honors since Alex Brown in 2001.

By: Will Pantages

AP All-America Selections

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Jachai Polite was picked as an Associated Press All-America Second Team defensive end, as announced on Monday. The Daytona Beach, Fla. native garnered First Team AP and Coaches' All-SEC honors last week.

Polite led the SEC in fumbles forced with five and totaled 11 sacks and 16.0 tackles-for-loss. The junior entered 2018 with nine tackles-for-loss in 19 career games. In 2018, Polite also added 43 tackles, four pass breakups and three quarterback hurries.

He became the eighth Gator—and first since Marcus Maye in 2015—in history to log five forced fumbles in a season. Clifford Charlton (six in 1986) holds the UF record. Polite also tied Derrick Harvey (2006), Clifford Charlton (1986), Alonzo Johnson (1984), and Wilber Marshall (1981) for the fifth-highest single-season total in school history.

Polite is the first Gators defensive end to garner at least second team AP All-America honors since Alex Brown in 2001.