Jachai Polite Stays With Florida Over USC on Signing Day

Three-star defensive end Jachai Polite stuck with his commitment to Florida, signing with the Gators over USC on Signing Day.

After making a visit to Los Angeles in January, Florida commit Jachai Polite was rumored to be considering flipping to USC on Signing Day, but the Daytona Beach-product kept with his original plan to sign with the Gators.

Though he lacks the hype of other defensive line prospects on the board, Polite is a powerful player with room to grow. He has the strength to be disruptive in the trenches and the energy to finish off plays.

Polite is rated as a three-star recruit by three of the four major recruiting services, though ESPN lists him as a four-star prospect. The 247Sports composite ranks him as the 33rd best defensive end in the class.

More from Reign of Troy

• Markese Stepp enters transfer portal intending to leave USC football
• USC football’s Alijah Vera-Tucker declares for NFL Draft
• USC football adds Xavion Alford as transfer from Texas
• USC Podcast: RoT Radio Ep. 396 on the Football Season’s Fallout
• Talanoa Hufanga named Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year, USC football with five first-teamers

USC has fallen short in their pursuit of several top defensive linemen in this class so the attempt to flip Polite from Florida seemed like an attempt to paper up some of the cracks.

Polite is an intriguing prospect because he could put on more weight and try his hand at being a defensive tackle, which would have been a positive for USC, who has needs at that position.

As it turned out, the Trojans were unable to land the Mainland prospect as they had Quinton Powell and Leonard Williams in the past.

STAY UP TO DATE ON SIGNING DAY: Follow our Signing Day Live Tracker and download our app in Apple’s App Store and Google Play on Android devices.