The group of edge defenders in the 2026 NFL Draft class is a deep and talented one. It might not have quite the same level of talent at the top of the class as 2025 class, but the depth and breadth of talent is impressive.
Everywhere you turn it seems there’s another edge defender who could be a starter at the NFL level.
For example, Illinois EDGE Gabe Jacas (pronounced ACK-us) doesn’t get much buzz on the national level. However, he has starting upside in the NFL, particularly as the league seeks
to tamp down on a resurgent running game while also getting pressure on the quarterback.
The New York Giants are well stocked with edge defenders, however things can change and it makes sense to be familiar with all the top players at one of the most important positions on the field.
Prospect: Gabe Jacas (17)
Games Watched: vs. Indiana (2025), vs. USC (2025), vs. Ohio State (2025)
Measurables
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Strengths
Best traits
- Play strength
- Competitive toughness
- Hand usage
- Power rushing
- Run defense
Gabe Jacas is a compact, powerful, explosive, and competitive edge defender.
Jacas has a good frame for the position with natural leverage at 6-foot 3 ⅝ inches while also having adequate length with 33-inch arms. He has obvious power in his upper and lower halves, and plays up to the expectations set by his physique.
Jacas has an explosive first step, typically timing the snap well and firing out of his stance hard and low. He delivers a strong jolt to blockers, rocking them back on their heels and creating an opportunity to walk them into the backfield. Jacas has built his entire pass rush philosophy around his power and explosiveness. His go-to move is a bull-rush, with the occasional long-arm move used as a counter in obvious passing situations.
That said, there is some sophistication to Jacas’ game and he shows a clear understanding of how to marry his length and strength. Jacas understands how to attack blockers’ chest plates, winning inside leverage and controlling them. Likewise, he uses his own hands to attack tackle’s hands, either using a forklift move to gain leverage or simply batting their punch away to keep himself clean as he engages. He also has enough athleticism to make sudden inside moves or execute stunts and twists along the line of scrimmage.
His power, strength, technique, and competitive toughness also make Jacas a capable run defender. He’s able to set a very firm edge, forcing runners to cut back or attempt to bounce outside. His strength and length also allow him to disengage and make plays on ball carriers as they attempt to press a gap he’s defending, or shed the block and pursue.
Jacas is more comfortable from a 3-point stance as a 4-3 DE than playing from a 2-point stance, however he’s able to mix either alignment with relative fluency. That should allow him to play in just about any defensive front called in the NFL. He also has enough athleticism to drop into coverage, getting good depth as a zone defender disguising blitzes. That said, he shouldn’t be used in coverage often.
Weaknesses
Worst traits
- Ball tracking
- Defending the read-option
- Speed rushes
There are a couple real weaknesses in Jacas’ profile that he’ll need to work on to become a consistently good and productive player at the NFL level.
First and foremost, Jacas should work on adding a speed element to his pass rush repertoire. He has formidable power, and knows how to use it, however he relies on it too heavily and can’t consistently create opportunities to win quickly.
Jacas has a relatively stiff lower body and rushes on his toes when attempting to bend the edge, so pure speed rushes shouldn’t be central to his pass rush plan. However, he can still make better use of his potent first step to take tackles by surprise or stress them to force over-sets.
He also has a slight tendency to pop up when engaging blockers. It isn’t particularly common, however losing his leverage can neutralize his entire rush. There are instances when even tight ends are able to stonewall his rushes if his pads rise.
Jacas also needs to improve how he deals with misdirection in the backfield. He’s an aggressive rusher, but loses track of the football too often which slows his overall game speed. In particular, Jacas appears very vulnerable to the read-option and quarterback runs. He was fooled very badly multiple times in the tape viewed, chasing misdirection, losing contain, and leading to big gains by the quarterback.
Game Tape
(Jacas is the Illinois edge defender wearing number 17.)
Projection
Gabe Jacas projects as a high-volume third edge defender with starting upside at the NFL level.
Jacas is a pure power player, but he shouldn’t be looked at as a pure run defending short-yardage specialist. He’s a player who can be on the field in pretty much any circumstance, and the coaches should feel good about him being out there. Jacas will need to hone the speed portion of his game to become a consistent sack artist at the NFL level, but his power, explosiveness, and toughness should provide the foundation to get there.
The big concern with Jacas is his ball tracking behind the line of scrimmage. The proliferation of the quarterback run game could make Jacas a liability against athletic quarterbacks. His future team will need a plan to either improve his defense of designed QB runs and read-option plays, or make a point of simplifying his reads.
That said, there is much more to like about Jacas than not, and he has the chance to hear his name called early on Day 2, and perhaps even late on Day 1.
Does he fit the Giants? Schematically, yes.
Final Word: A late 1st or early 2nd round pick.
