Jachai Polite: I have a lot of people to prove wrong

[Broadway Joe]

Jachai Polite’s talent suggests a team should have drafted him earlier than the Jets did. But after a poor Combine and complaints that teams were “bashing” him, Polite had to wait until the third round.

It might prove a blessing in disguise considering he is a “perfect fit” scheme-wise.

“I know this road has been bumpy with ups and downs,” Polite said, via Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. “It was a great learning experience going into this league. Just humbling myself. . . .I learned how to take care of business. I was kind of blinded before, being young and immature. But I’ve accepted all my flaws and have been working on it this offseason.”

The Florida linebacker made 11 sacks, 17 tackles for loss and six forced fumbles last season. But he ran the slowest 40-yard dash time (4.84 seconds) among all participating edge players at the Combine and had the fourth-worst vertical jump (32 inches). His day ended with a hamstring injury.

Interviews didn’t go any better.

“I regret saying that [anyone] was bashing me, because they weren’t really bashing me,” Polite said. “There were just trying to interview a guy to come play for their team. They just wanted to see how I reacted. It was all my fault, and I learned from it.”

The Jets hope he proves them right, which in turn will prove others wrong.

“I have a lot of people to prove wrong,” Polite added. “I’m ready to work. Growing up, there’s always been a lot of negative things about me. And I’ve just worked my whole life.”