Gators defensive end Jachai Polite finished with 11 sacks this season, the fifth-best single-season total in school history. (Photo: Tim Casey/UAA Communications)
Gators Junior Jachai Polite to Enter NFL Draft
Monday, December 31, 2018 | Football, Scott Carter
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Florida star defensive end Jachai Polite announced he will forgo his senior year of eligibility and enter the NFL draft.
Polite had a breakout season to earn All-Southeastern Conference first-team honors and be named a second-team All-American.
"Gator Nation will always hold a special place in my heart,'' Polite posted in a message on Twitter. "I can't wait to prove to NFL teams that I can be and will be the best defensive linemen in the NFL. The lessons I have learned in Gainesville will carry with me to the next level."
Polite showed promise as a sophomore in 2017 when he earned four starts and finished with 22 tackles, including two sacks. However, he suffered a season-ending injury in the loss to Georgia and entered his junior season under the watchful eye of a new coaching staff.
It didn't take long for defensive coordinator Todd Grantham to see massive potential in the 6-foot-2, 271-pound edge rusher.
"I had a pretty good idea of what we had,'' Grantham said. "When the ball moves, 'how fast are you getting off the ball? What's your twitch?' He shows that. The other thing, he does show relentless effort to the ball. I felt like he could be an explosive player for us based on the position he plays and the kind of ability he's got."
Polite capped his Gators career with a team-high 11 sacks and six forced fumbles, including one in Saturday's 41-15 win over Michigan in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl that tied Clifford Charlton's single-season school record set in 1986. Polite's 11 sacks this season are the fifth-best single-season total in school history.
Polite zoomed up the NFL mock drafts throughout the season and is projected as a first-round pick by most analysts. A veteran defensive coordinator in both the NFL and FBS, Grantham expects Polite to continue to improve based on his season coaching the former Daytona Beach Mainland standout.
"He shows a burst and he likes the play the game. He practices hard. Anytime you get a guy that has really good burst, he shows ability to run to the ball and he likes to practice, which means he will work and develop ... I think all of that has allowed him to become the player that he is today."
Polite is the third Gators junior to declare early for the draft, joining defensive back Chauncey Gardner-Johnson and offensive lineman Jawaan Taylor.
Polite had a breakout season to earn All-Southeastern Conference first-team honors and be named a second-team All-American.
"Gator Nation will always hold a special place in my heart,'' Polite posted in a message on Twitter. "I can't wait to prove to NFL teams that I can be and will be the best defensive linemen in the NFL. The lessons I have learned in Gainesville will carry with me to the next level."
F O R E V E R P O L I T E ! 🐊✌🏿 pic.twitter.com/vM8LApq9bD
— Jachai Polite. (@RetireMoms) December 31, 2018
Polite showed promise as a sophomore in 2017 when he earned four starts and finished with 22 tackles, including two sacks. However, he suffered a season-ending injury in the loss to Georgia and entered his junior season under the watchful eye of a new coaching staff.
It didn't take long for defensive coordinator Todd Grantham to see massive potential in the 6-foot-2, 271-pound edge rusher.
"I had a pretty good idea of what we had,'' Grantham said. "When the ball moves, 'how fast are you getting off the ball? What's your twitch?' He shows that. The other thing, he does show relentless effort to the ball. I felt like he could be an explosive player for us based on the position he plays and the kind of ability he's got."
Polite capped his Gators career with a team-high 11 sacks and six forced fumbles, including one in Saturday's 41-15 win over Michigan in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl that tied Clifford Charlton's single-season school record set in 1986. Polite's 11 sacks this season are the fifth-best single-season total in school history.
Polite zoomed up the NFL mock drafts throughout the season and is projected as a first-round pick by most analysts. A veteran defensive coordinator in both the NFL and FBS, Grantham expects Polite to continue to improve based on his season coaching the former Daytona Beach Mainland standout.
"He shows a burst and he likes the play the game. He practices hard. Anytime you get a guy that has really good burst, he shows ability to run to the ball and he likes to practice, which means he will work and develop ... I think all of that has allowed him to become the player that he is today."
Polite is the third Gators junior to declare early for the draft, joining defensive back Chauncey Gardner-Johnson and offensive lineman Jawaan Taylor.
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