Florida defensive end Jachai Polite had a disastrous NFL Scouting Combine last month, and he was aiming to prove his critics wrong with a strong performance at the Gators’ Pro Day on Wednesday. Unfortunately, it sounds like he was unable to do that.
One of the reasons scouts were unimpressed with Polite in Indianapolis was that he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.84 seconds, which is extremely sluggish for a pass-rusher. When he tried to improve upon that time Tuesday, he apparently sustained an injury.
#Gators DE Jachai Polite pulled up hurt after a poor first 40 at Pro Day. Barely cracked 5 seconds. Now has ice taped to his right quad. Probably done for the day.
— Thomas Goldkamp (@ThomasGoldkamp) March 27, 2019
Polite was once considered a first-round prospect, but his stock has rapidly tumbled over the past month. In addition to performing poorly in drills at the Combine, he was said to be a disaster during interviews with teams. Polite complained to reporters and said he felt like teams did nothing but bash him, so that wasn’t a good sign.
If he can get healthy and prove he has some intangibles, Polite should have a chance to contribute in the NFL. That said, his hopes of making first-round money have all but disappeared.
