Assessing Washington Redskins first-round options: EDGE Jachai Polite

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KNOXVILLE, TN – SEPTEMBER 22: Jachai Polite #99 of the Florida Gators puts a hit on Quarterback Jarrett Guarantano #2 of the Tennessee Volunteers as he loses the ball during the first quarter of the game between the Florida Gators and Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium on September 22, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images) /

Scouting Polite

Ask anyone who watches film what makes Jachai Polite so special, and you’re likely to get the same answer wherever you go: His speed.

Polite has incredible burst; he can win with it alone on some snaps. He has moments on his film where his sheer speed as an edge rusher catches you by complete surprise, such as the 1:15 mark in his Mississippi State film. His lateral quickness is just as excellent; with loose hips, agile feet, and tremendous stop-and-start ability, Polite can both avoid double teams and win one-on-one battles. With all that said, there’s room for Polite to be even faster, as his launch process often contains a false step that could be eliminated.

With his quickness, Polite can stay untouched and either rocket straight to the quarterback or quickly navigate alternate lanes. His speed disrupts quarterbacks’ rhythm, and he plays with an unquenchable motor, and a hunger that only becomes more fierce after his first sack.

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Polite is very slippery as a rusher, using his speed and size to slip through windows in the offensive line. But his speed can be a double-edged sword. Polite sometimes plays himself beyond the pocket, giving the tackle room to get his hands on him and push him out of the play. Polite shows refined technique often enough, swiping linemen’s hands and using leverage and acceleration to sear around the edge. But once a tackle gets a firm grip on him, he’s not as impactful.

That takes us to the most concerning aspect of Polite’s game: It may be too one-dimensional. Polite’s stronger than his size might indicate, and adequate power shows up at random times on Polite’s tape, making you think about the potential he has. But too often, his lack of power and length hurts him, against the pass and especially against the run.

Without consistent power, Polite can’t seal the edge consistently in run defense. He gives too much on those plays, and without a starting burst, tackles get their hands on him and neutralize him. This happened often in the Georgia game, where Polite was manhandled against the run from start to finish. Polite has good lane awareness against the run, but he’s only able to make a play if he isn’t contained.

Polite’s lack of length combines with his lack of consistent functional strength to create an obstacle for Polite’s dominance at the next level. When Polite gets better leverage, he can use the power he has more effectively. He completed a bull rush move more than once against Mississippi State, which happened to be his best game tape. The lowest man wins, but Polite sometimes plays too upright, too rigid, and tackles longer and stronger than Polite can get their hands on him. Subsequently, he’s taken out of the play.

Slow-moving NFL tackles will be eaten for breakfast by Polite, and tackles that aren’t as strong will find themselves on the defense often against Polite, whose momentum will give him the advantage. But Polite won’t fare well against well-rounded NFL tackles; players who can use length, power, and agility to win their matchups. To put it simply, Polite needs more in his toolbox besides speed. You’d even like him to have more consistent bend, with the speed he has. But the quickest avenue to improvement is for Polite, who’s currently 6-foot-2, 240, to bulk up.

All the criticism aside, Polite is a good prospect, and he’s a good player for the Redskins to pinpoint. He fits the 3-4 scheme as an edge rusher, and even with his one-dimensional game, his speed can be too much to handle. His movement prowess also allows Polite to play in coverage; he frequently dropped back and spied the flat on tape, and he was able to run with backs to the side line.

Against play fakes and read options, Polite wasn’t easily fooled. He always keeps his eyes on the ball, especially when rushing the pass. When he knows he’s not reaching the quarterback, he gets his hands up in an attempt to deflect, and when he does reach the quarterback, he seeks out the strip sack. With six forced fumbles in his final season, he proved he’s effective in that area.

Polite’s speed brings exciting potential, and as Jon Ledyard explained in Polite’s player profile on The Draft Network, linked below, Polite didn’t often play with his hand in the dirt in college, and when he did, his burst was more concentrated and refined, without the false step that took away from it on other snaps. Perhaps, in the NFL, Polite should play more often with his hand in the dirt. He has to get stronger, but a three-point stance might better facilitate his blazing speed.

But speed alone doesn’t win in the NFL. Polite showed flashes of adequate power and leverage, but those flashes were spread too thin over the course of the 2018 season. He didn’t progress linearly as the season went on, and although he showed some development against Florida State, he was severely limited in the bowl game afterward, against Michigan. Polite’s speed is unique, and will be his biggest selling point on draft day. But his lack of power and size is concerning, especially as he makes the leap to the NFL.