Jachai Polite had an excellent season rushing the passer for the Florida Gators last season. In the 13 games he played, he totaled 45 tackles, six forced fumbles, and 11.5 sacks. His best game came against Florida State in a huge divisional matchup. He recorded six tackles, 2.5 sacks, and one forced fumble.
Overall, Polite proved himself to be an elite pass rusher at the college level. He's a bit of a tweener, listed at 6-foot-2 and 240 pounds. He has the uncommon skill-set of having both vertical and lateral quickness. He can explode off the edge and inside, making him a very deadly weapon.
He doesn't have much experience in coverage, though he can lineup in either a three-point or two-point stance. He's a pass rush specialist, and won't be able to drop back into coverage right away.
Polite is projected as a first-round pick. He's extraordinarily quick off the edge. However, he needs to work on his core strength as well as the ability to drop back into coverage.
Many teams are coming into this upcoming draft looking for a solid pass rusher. When rebuilding a defense, oftentimes the front seven is a focus. Without halfway decent pressure at the point of attack, there's only so much a good secondary can do.
There are a plethora of teams that need help in that area. Here are the top three teams that should draft Polite.
3. Detroit Lions
The Lions struggled to gain consistency on defense in 2018. They allowed 22.5 points per game, which ranked 16th overall in the entire NFL. Even though their defense was mediocre, it didn't have the necessary playmakers to take the next step.
Pro Football Focus ranked their front seventh second to last in the league. The only player with a positive impact seemed to be Da”Shawn Hand, who only started eight games. He wasn't even fully utilized by the team. The only player with more than five sacks was linebacker Devon Kennard with seven.
Polite could come straight into the Lions scheme and make a marked impact. They desperately need someone who can disrupt quarterbacks. They have the eighth overall pick and the 11th pick in the second round. If Polite falls, he's definitely worth a wager with that second round selection.
2. Atlanta Falcons
Last season, the Falcons disappointed on defense. Their defense allowed 26.4 points per game, which was the seventh worst in the entire league. Their star pass rusher, Vic Beasley, seemed to have hit a wall. He only started nine games and only collected five sacks on the season. PFF ranked their front seven 23rd overall out of all NFL squads.
They fired their defensive coordinator Marquand Manuel and gave their head coach Dan Quinn the defensive play-calling duties. Quinn runs a 3-4 that he sharpened during his time with Pete Carroll and the Seattle Seahawks.
Adding Polite makes a lot of sense. He fits in as an outside linebacker who can blitz off the edge. They have the 14th overall pick in the first round. If the other top defensive players are off the board, Polite would be an excellent team fit.
1. Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders simply had one of the worst defenses in recent history. PFF ranked their front seven last across the entire league. They had a total of 13 sacks on the season. Before the season even started, newly-hired head coach Jon Gruden traded away Khalil Mack to the Chicago Bears. This was a questionable move and a huge blow to their defense.
Bringing in Polite makes a ton of sense. The team is definitely going to bring in a free agent or two to fill the gaps in the front seven. Gruden has three first round picks to work with, and definitely will have a chance to draft Polite. Their 4-3 scheme will work, but Polite will have to work on his ability to play in coverage.
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