Leading up to the NFL Draft, one position was highlighted above all others when it came to New England Patriots needs: the defensive edge. And while they did not address it in the first round, courtesy of picking offensive tackle Caleb Lomu at No. 28 overall, they did go after a promising young player in Round 2.
Following a trade-up with the Chargers, the Patriots selected Gabe Jacas as the 55th pick in the draft. Let’s find out why they made the move by taking a closer look at the Illinois product.
Measurements: 6’4”, 260 lbs, 33” arm length, 10” hand size, 4.69s 40-yard dash, 1.59s 10-yard split, 30 bench press reps, N/A Relative Athletic Score
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.
Pick: 2-55 | Consensus big board: No. 50 | 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.
What will 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 will 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 remaining need on the roster after the first round of the draft, Jacas’ play demeanor, violence, and status as a defensive leader are all traits that will have stood out to New England in the pre-draft process.
What does it mean for the rest of the Patriots draft? The Patriots have addressed their two biggest needs with their first two selections, which in turn gives them plenty of flexibility for the remainder of the draft. That said, picking Jacas likely also does not disqualify them from adding even more depth on the edge; if another player becomes available later on, they would not shy away from further bolstering the group.
What does it mean for the offensive tackle depth chart? With Jacas joining the aforementioned Harold Landry and Dre’Mont Jones, the Patriots now have three roster locks on the edge. By extension, the depth options — Elijah Ponder, Bradyn Swinson, Jesse Luketa — will have to compete for what might be no more than one or two open spots on the roster.
One-sentence verdict: A perfect fit for the Patriots, 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 Patriots draft pick? Do you like it? Or would you have pursued a different player? Please head down to the comment section to share your thoughts.