A four-year Illinois pass rusher who racked up 27 career sacks, Gabe Jacas landed with the Patriots as a coveted Day 2 pick in the 2026 draft.
Gabe Jacas spent four seasons terrorizing Big Ten backfields at Illinois before New England traded up to grab him in the second round of the 2026 NFL draft. He arrives in Foxborough as an outside linebacker built to rush the passer, with the production to back it up.
Path to the league
Jacas grew up in Port St. Lucie, Florida, and starred at Fort Pierce Central High School before flipping his commitment from Tulane to Illinois. He became a starter at outside linebacker as a true freshman in 2022 and stayed in Champaign for four seasons. The Patriots traded three picks to the Chargers to move up for him, taking Jacas 55th overall in the second round of the 2026 draft.
Career highlights
Over 50 games at Illinois, Jacas piled up 183 tackles, 27 sacks, seven forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. Those 27 sacks rank second in Illinois history and were the most by any active Big Ten defender in 2025. He earned Freshman All-American honors in 2022, third-team All-Big Ten in 2024, and capped his career with first-team All-Big Ten and third-team All-American recognition in 2025.
2025 season recap
Jacas closed out his Illinois career with arguably his best season, posting 43 tackles, 11 sacks and three forced fumbles while earning first-team All-Big Ten honors. The production made him one of the more talked-about risers of the pre-draft process, and the Patriots moved up to secure him. He now begins his NFL career fighting for reps in New England's linebacker room.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Gabe Jacas
- Patriots.com: Gabe Jacas
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Linebacker
- Group
- defense
- College
- Illinois
- Hometown
- Port Saint Lucie, FL, USA
- Age
- 22
- Status
- active
