As both executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf and head coach Mike Vrabel said at the NFL Combine, the edge position is one of the biggest needs for the New England Patriots.
Even after signing Dre’Mont Jones to a three-year deal on the first day of free agency, that remains true. Jones is expected to start opposite of Harold Landry, but the veteran’s ability after an injury plagued season is TBD as he continues his rehab process. And after losing K’Lavon Chaisson and Anfernee Jennings
in free agency, just second-year players Elijah Ponder and Bradyn Swinson remain as top secondary options on the depth chart.
That being said, the Patriots adding to the group early in the NFL Draft seems like a foregone conclusion based on the offseason so far. And if they do, Illinois’ Gabe Jacas may be under consideration.
Hard facts
Name: Gabe Jacas
Position: Edge rusher
School: Illinois (Jr.)
Opening day age: 22 (5/27/2004)
Measurements: 6’4”, 260 lbs, 33” arm length, 10” hand size, 4.69 40-yard dash, 1.59 10-yard split, 30 bench press reps, N/A Relative Athletic Score
Experience
College: University of Illinois (2022-25)
Career statistics: 50 games | 2,269 defensive snaps, 211 special teams snaps | 183 total tackles, 35.5 TFLs, 7 FFs, 1 FR | 142 quarterback pressures (27 sacks, 31 hits, 83 hurries) | 2 PD | 9 penalties
Accolades: First-team All-Big Ten (2025), Third-team All-American (2024), Third-team All-Big Ten (2024), Freshman All-American (2022)
A three-star high school recruit, Jacas was also a state champion and all-state wrestler before committing to the University of Illinois. As a true freshman Jacas went on to play in all 13 games (8 starts) and record 5.0 TFLs and 4.0 sacks as he earned All-Big Ten honorable mention and was the Illinois’ Rookie of the Year Award winner.
After posting 4.0 sacks again his sophomore season, Jacas’ production started to take off. As a junior, he tied for the Big Ten lead in forced fumbles (3) and ranked fifth in sacks (8.0) during the regular season en route to earning third-team all-conference honors.
Jacas then had a career-year as a team captain his senior season as he led the conference with 11.0 sacks — sixth most in the nation. The 21-year old then declared for the NFL Draft and accepted his invites to both the NFL Combine and Senior Bowl.
Draft profile
Projected round: 2-3 | Consensus big board: No. 54 | Patriots meeting: N/A
Strengths: As his 260-pound build and 30 bench press reps at the Combine show, Jacas is a powerful player off the edge. His pass rush plan is built off that strength as the bull rush was his go-to move while his background as a wrestler shows in his hand usage. Jacas plays with a high-level of violence and has a great motor, as he’s not afraid to take on blocks in the run game and has made several plays due to hustle late in drop backs.
Weaknesses: While his 1.59-second 10-yard split at his Pro Day was an elite number at 260 pounds, Jacas does not always seem to play with that first-step explosiveness on film. He can be a bit stiff at times and could benefit from further development of his pass rush plan. Jacas often ran hot-and-cold and didn’t always produce against top competition. And while he has the build and mentality to make plays in the run game his awareness must improve.
Patriots preview
What would be his role? After a highly productive collegiate career at Illinois, Jacas’ mentality and size should allow him to see the NFL field in a rotational role right out the gate. In New England, that would mean him joining the duo of Harold Landry and Dre’Mont Jones.
Does he have positional versatility? A primary rusher outside the tackles at Illinois, but the Fighting Illini would also feature three-down fronts which led to Jacas rushing head-on or even shaded inside offensive tackles. He will likely see similar usage at the next level while Jacas was also a regular on field goal block over four years.
What is his growth potential? Jacas has the potential to be an every-down edge rusher but must continue to develop his overall consistency in terms of both his rush plan and production in the run game.
Why the Patriots? Beyond edge being perhaps the biggest need on the roster, Jacas’ play demeanor, violence, and status as a defensive leader are all traits that will stand out to New England.
Why not the Patriots? When speaking at the NFL Combine, Eliot Wolf highlighted first-step explosiveness as a key trait the team looks for in pass rushers. They could opt to look for someone with more twitch than Jacas, who’s rise up draft boards could also require some sort of trade for the Patriots between picks No. 31 and 62.
One-sentence verdict: Jacas is a violent edge rusher who has room to grow into an every-down player with more consistency.
For more information about Gabe Jacas and the rest of this year’s class of prospects, please take a look at Adam’s 2026 NFL Draft Guide.
Also, what do you think about Jacas as a potential Patriots target? Do you like him? Where would you pick him? Please head down to the comment section to share your thoughts.
