The Florida Gators hosted eight official visitors this past weekend including three prospects that are already committed to Florida.
Defensive end Jachai Polite (6-4, 230, Daytona Beach, FL Mainland) was one of those three committed prospects on campus and the defensive end enjoyed his time with Florida Gators head coach Jim McElwain.
“The visit was good,” Polite said. “I got to know some of the players, some of the early enrollees and talk ball with Coach [Chris] Rumph. I got to meet with Coach McElwain and my family got to meet the coaches.”
Polite was able to hangout with a lot of the early enrollee prospects on campus and he was able to get their opinion of life as a Florida Gators.
“My host was Jordan Smith and that was good,” he said. “He’s just like me, he’s young and energized. We got along good this weekend. He said that that the coaches show a lot of love and that they aren’t just coaches, they’re like fathers to you too. He said it’s a family atmosphere around Florida.”
The older players also spoke with Polite a lot and they had the same message for the defensive end that Smith did.
“The players told me that Florida is different than other places because it’s a big family there,” Polite said. “They said the same thing that the coaches are like father figures to you and they’re always there for you.”
Over the last few months Florida Gators defensive line Chris Rumph has recruited Polite hard and the two got the chance to meet for several hours on Saturday.
“Coach Rumph was excited to have me up there and we watched my film,” he said. “He was critiquing me on some things with my game and trying to help me get better. He was telling me that he sees me as a rush end that can play both strongside and weakside. He said that I need to come in and be ready to play.”
Sunday morning Polite got the opportunity to sit down with McElwain and the Florida Gators head coach let the defensive end know that he’s wanted in Gainesville.
“I got to talk to Coach McElwain too and he said that he was fired up about me and the 2016 class,” Polite said. “He said this class is going to be a very special class for Florida. I really like talking with Coach McElwain.”
Polite wasn’t the only one who had a good time in Gainesville this weekend as his family also enjoyed Gainesville.
“My mom, my two aunts and my uncle went with me,” he said. “They loved the trip and they liked all of the coaches a lot.”
The Gators are still holding strong with Polite, but another school will get an official visit next weekend.
“I’m visiting USC next weekend,” Polite said. “I’m very solid to Florida though and I really like Florida. Coach McElwain is also coming to see me on Wednesday.”
Polite was very happy after his official visit to Florida and he says that he isn’t sure exactly what it will take for USC to land his signature.
“I don’t know what it will take,” he said. “I don’t know them that well so I need to meet the defensive line coach and see how comfortable I am with the coaching staff at USC.”
Despite Polite taking a visit to USC next weekend, the Gators defensive end commit was doing some recruiting for Florida this weekend.
“I was recruiting a couple of people a little bit,” he said. “I was recruiting Dontavious Jackson, Chris Brown and Jaleel Laguins a little bit. I think we got a chance with Dontavious Jackson and Jaleel.”
INSIDERS TAKE: USC is a real threat here because Polite’s former coach is a coach at USC, but Polite’s family likes the fact that they can see Polite play in Gainesville. It will be a race until signing day here.