Continuing along the pre-draft visit cycle, Florida Gators edge rusher Jachai Polite is visiting the Los Angeles Rams, per his own instagram:
This is an interesting visit because Polite mentioned at the NFL Scouting Combine that the Rams were “by far my best meeting”, stating that all other teams critiqued his game, while the Rams actually spent time looking at his positive plays.
In my first mock draft of the season, I actually had pegged Polite to the Rams with their first selection (after a trade down).
Polite was a highly productive college football pass rusher as he totaled 28.5 tackles-for-loss, 15 sacks, and six forced fumbles across three seasons in the swamp. Polite was a shoe-in for the first round, though some noted he might have had one of the worst combines ever:
Jachai Polite posted a poor #RAS at the Combine with poor speed and only average in his only completed explosion drill.
He reportedly suffered a hamstring injury, which was reinjured at his pro day. pic.twitter.com/0LIMLvg8A7
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) April 3, 2019
Polite showed up “small” by edge rusher standards, tested awfully in a few drills prior to hurting his hamstring, and interviewed awfully. Still, with all these red flags, Polite is one of the best and most productive pass rushers in the class.
Polite’s combine may actually turn out to be a blessing in disguise for the Rams, because if they can use a later draft pick to select him, they could reap the rewards of a fantastic pass rusher for much cheaper than what everyone anticipated prior to the combine.