Drafted with high hopes in April, cut in August. That’s the reality for Jachai Polite, taken by the Jets in the third round of the NFL draft. This story in the New York Post explores the how and why of Polite’s fall.

Polite came to the Jets via a 68th-overall pick, a move that now looks like a mistake. GM Mike Maccagnan, who made the selection, is out of a job, though not for this pick only.

Polite is still just 21 years old, which means there is still time for him to make a career in pro football. Will he prove the Jets wrong for letting him go? Will another team pick him up? Or was the whole thing a mistake from the start?

On one level, Polite’s story is just another reminder of how hard it is to predict performance. But there’s also reason to think that enough warning signs were there on Polite. Said the Post: “(He) was projected as a first-round pick by some before the scouting combine, but his draft stock plummeted after a poor workout and some bad interviews. There were also questions about his maturity. The Jets felt they were getting a steal in the third round, but it is pretty clear that coach Adam Gase was not on board with this pick by Maccagnan, who was fired a few weeks after the draft.”

The Jets thought they were getting steal. But now it appears they were left empty-handed.