3. Jachai Polite, Florida 6-2, 242 (1)
Career Statistics: 78 tackles, 15 sacks, 28.5 tackles for loss, 8 forced fumbles
Why Jachai Polite Is Here On The List: He’s an interestingly quirky prospect. The production didn’t kick in until his junior year, turning into a holy terror under Dan Mullen with 11 sacks and 19.5 tackles for loss with six forced fumbles last season. But considering he’ll be a top 15 overall pick, and it took two years to gear up and get his chance to rock, there might be a little one-year wonder concern.
Whatever. He’s special enough to grow into the most dangerous end in the draft.
He’s built to be a tough run defender, but he’s a speed rusher who can get into the backfield in a hiccup. Is he an outside linebacker, a defensive end, or a hybrid who’ll be thrown out there and be asked to produce? It’ll be the reason …
What The NFL Types Want To See: Body type will be the talk about his prospects. He has good weight, but he might need to add a little more to become the all-around end some might project him to be. While others might look for him to get a wee bit lighter, hoping he can keep his speed and burst.
Bottom Line: He’s probably going to be the second true defensive end to come off the board, but there’s a wee bit of a risk here. The team that takes needs to have a set plan, role, and idea about what to do with him and how his body should be. The wrong call might turn him into a wee bit of a disappointment early on, but hit on all those tools, and there’s something special to unleash.
