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Redskins: 3 edge rushers to watch at the 2019 NFL Combine

By Jacob Camenker

NASHVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 13: Jachai Polite #99 of the Florida Gators pressures quarterback Kyle Shurmur #14 of the Vanderbilt Commodores during the second half at Vanderbilt Stadium on October 13, 2018 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 13: Jachai Polite #99 of the Florida Gators pressures quarterback Kyle Shurmur #14 of the Vanderbilt Commodores during the second half at Vanderbilt Stadium on October 13, 2018 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images) /
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NASHVILLE, TN – OCTOBER 13: Jachai Polite #99 of the Florida Gators pressures quarterback Kyle Shurmur #14 of the Vanderbilt Commodores during the second half at Vanderbilt Stadium on October 13, 2018 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN – OCTOBER 13: Jachai Polite #99 of the Florida Gators pressures quarterback Kyle Shurmur #14 of the Vanderbilt Commodores during the second half at Vanderbilt Stadium on October 13, 2018 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images) /

Jachai Polite was one of college football’s breakout players last year. He recorded a career-high 11 sacks in a revamped Florida defense, and he did a lot to establish himself as one of the premier edge rushers in this class.

The Combine will give Polite — a speed-based player — a chance to succeed in drills. His shuttle, 40-yard dash, and performance in coverage drills will be critical to getting him noticed, and if he performs well, he could find himself rising up draft boards.

Our own Ian Cummings broke down Polite in a pre-Combine scouting report. Here are some of his takeaways surrounding the potential first-round pick.

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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."

Polite’s measurement (6-2, 242 pounds) is unlikely to change significantly, so what he will have to do at the Combine is show that he consistently has power in drills. Though Polite’s speed, technique, and pass rushing ability is good, he will need to show that his smaller frame can still be sturdy enough to hold up in run defense.

If Polite shows his athletic ability while also demonstrating better functional strength and power, that could give him a minor stock up. The Redskins should have interest as he could end up being one of the more athletic edge rushers available in this draft.

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