Polite should have stayed in school, says Grantham
Coordinator thinks pass rusher not ready to compete in NFL
Defensive lineman Jachai Polite runs
GAINESVILLE — UF defensive coordinator Todd Grantham warned Jachai Polite about leaving early for the NFL draft.
Polite, though, had his ideas.
Ignoring Grantham’s counsel could cost the 21-year-old Polite millions of dollars in a couple of weeks.
“Yeah that was my advice, only because there’s a lot of factors that go into being a first-round talent,” Grantham said Thursday. “When guys spend millions of dollars on you, they’re gonna research you, test you, prod you. They want to know exactly what they’re getting because that’s a large sum of money to invest.
“So you really need to be prepared fully, both mentally and physically.”
Polite was neither. Following an 11-sack season, Polite appeared destined to go in the first round of the draft on April 25. He then added bad weight, suffered a hamstring strain, ran poorly at the NFL own Scouting Combine and performed no better during team interviews.
Grantham said he has spoken in passing to Polite since then, but not to find out what exactly happened.
“I mean well when he was here, ‘How you doing?’ that kind of thing,” Grantham said. “But when guys sign with agents, their representation is basically [advising] them. So that’s pretty much up to them.”
Polite owned up to his missteps a few weeks later after a disappointing Pro Day. But the damage had been done.
The respected draft Web site WalterFootball.com projects the 6-3, 258-pound Polite as the No. 51 selection in the draft — and seventh pass rusher overall.
At times last season, Polite was a pass rusher without peer. He finished two sacks shy of UF’s school record and led the nation with six forced fumbles.
“He’s a first-round talent Grantham said.
The 52-year-old should know. He coached in the NFL for 11 seasons and in February turned down the Cincinnati Bengals for their defensive coordinator opening.
“I had DeMarcus Ware and I had Justin Houston and then guy,” really Jachai was next as far as twitch, as far as initial burst off the ball,” Grantham said. “But there’s other factors that go into playing that position, and you get a guy that’s a first-round talent that everybody’s gonna evaluate, and they’ve just got to make a decision on where they feel comfortable taking him relevant to everything that’s happened before.”
Polite could have returned to school, shored up his weaknesses, raised his draft stock and been better prepared for what was to come. Instead, the Daytona Beach product will learn his fate in two weeks.
Grantham said Polite showed enough on game tape to make a strong case for teams needing a pass rusher.
“From a play standpoint all you gotta do is watch the tape and you know he’s faster than his 40 time at the combine,” Grantham said. “I mean on tape he’s not a 4.84-guy if you watch it.”