April 24, 2026
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2026 NFL Scouting Report: Gabe Jacas

Charlie Campbell05 mins




--2026 NFL Draft Scouting Reports Lander-- Drew Allar, QB, Penn State C.J. Allen, LB, Georgia David Bailey, DE, Texas Tech Rueben Bain Jr., DE, Miami Caleb Banks, DT, Florida Carson Beck, QB, Miami Chris Bell, WR, Louisville Germie Bernard, WR, Alabama Chase Bisontis, G, Texas A&M Denzel Boston, WR, Washington Zachariah Branch, WR, Georgia Xavier Chaplin, OT, Auburn Brandon Cisse, CB, South Carolina Jonah Coleman, RB, Washington K.C. Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M Omar Cooper, WR, Indiana Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU Oscar Delp, TE, Georgia Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State Gennings Dunker, OT/G, Iowa Spencer Fano, OT, Utah Keldric Faulk, DE, Auburn Malachi Fields, WR, Notre Dame Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia Earnest Greene III, OT, Georgia John Michael Gyllenborg, QB, Wyoming Anthony Hill Jr., LB, Texas Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee Cashius Howell, DE, Texas A&M Lee Hunter, DT, Texas Tech Ted Hurst, WR, Georgia State Max Iheanachor, OT, Arizona State Vega Ioane, G, Penn State Gabe Jacas, DE, Illinois Darrell Jackson Jr., DT, Florida State Domani Jackson, CB, Alabama Chris Johnson, CB, San Diego State Javon Kilgore, S, South Carolina Cade Klubnik, QB, Clemson Malachi Lawrence, DE, Central Florida Makai Lemon, WR, USC Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah Kyle Louis, OLB, Pittsburgh Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio State Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana Akheem Mesidor, DE, Miami Blake Miller, OT, Clemson Christian Miller, DT, Georgia Derrick Moore, DE, Michigan Garrett Nussmeier, QB, LSU L.T. Overton, DT, Alabama T.J. Parker, DE, Clemson Harold Perkins, OLB, LSU Emmanuel Pregnon, G, Oregon Jadarian Price, RB, Notre Dame Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama Kamari Ramsey, S, USC Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State Tony Rojas, LB, Penn State Sam Roush, TE, Stanford Joe Royer, TE, Cincinnati Keylan Rutledge, G, Georgia Tech Keon Sabb, S, Alabama Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon LaNorris Sellers, QB, South Carolina Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama Nicholas Singleton, RB, Penn State Jake Slaughter, C, Florida Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon R. Mason Thomas, DE/OLB, Oklahoma Michael Trigg, TE, Baylor Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State Mateo Uiagalelei, DE, Oregon Mike Washington, RB, Arkansas Antonio Williams, WR, Clemson Peter Woods, DT, Clemson Isaiah World, OT, Oregon Zion Young, DE, Missouri

  • Gabe Jacas, 6-4/260
  • Defensive End
  • Illinois

Gabe Jacas Scouting Report

By Charlie Campbell

Strengths:

  • Instinctive pass rusher
  • Goes for the strip
  • Power pass rusher that can beat tackles with strength
  • Nice repertoire of power moves
  • Tenacious bull rush
  • Impressive rip move
  • Strength to shed blocks
  • Plays hard
  • Gives a second effort
  • Pursues through the whistle
  • Physical and violent defender
  • Tough vs the run
  • Can fill the C-gap
  • Wears out tight ends
  • Leader
  • Ready to compete immediately
  • Experienced

Weaknesses:

  • Has some stiffness as a rusher
  • Lacks elite speed
  • Lacks some twitch
  • Lacks some explosion

Prospect Summary:

Over the past four seasons, Jacas has been a bully in the Big 10 and a violent presence at the point of attack for the Fighting Illini. Jacas had a nice debut as a freshman, starting eight games with 35 tackles and four sacks. He stayed consistent with those numbers as a sophomore (31-4) before taking a big step forward as a junior. Jacas was tremendous in 2024 with 74 tackles, eight sacks, 13 tackles for a loss, and three forced fumbles. In 2025, Jacas was one of the top pass rushers in college football with 11 sacks to go along with 13.5 tackles for a loss, 43 tackles, and three forced fumbles.

In the pass rush, Jacas is a tenacious beast who is a power rusher who plays with violence and non-stop physicality. He is a strong rusher who really works offensive tackles with an intense bull rush and tremendous power rip move. He uses that power to gain leverage and charges through the pocket with chaos. Jacas has great instincts to go for the strip, and his six forced fumbles over the past two seasons are no accident. With good strength to shed blocks, Jacas is dangerous on second efforts, and he never quits on a rush, playing hard through the whistle. Some hip stiffness and a lack of pure speed are the factors that keep Jacas from being a first-round pick.

In the ground game, Jacas is very good. He is physical and strong at the point of attack to lock down the C-gap. Jacas holds his ground against downhill runs and shows the ability to shed blocks to pursue out of his gap. With his power and physicality, Jacas wears out tight ends and makes plays miserable for them. As a pro, he should be an asset as a run defender and a capable pass rusher.

In this analyst’s opinion, Jacas could be one of the sleeper steals in this draft and one of the best value picks on the second day of the draft. Jacas looks like he could be a good starter for a long time in the NFL. In the 2026 NFL Draft, Jacas could be a second-round pick who proves to be a great value. Check out my latest 2026 NFL Mock Draft to see where Jacas is projected to go.

Prospect Comparison:

Bradley Chubb. In terms of style of play, Jacas reminds me of Chubb.


--2026 NFL Draft Scouting Reports Lander-- Drew Allar, QB, Penn State C.J. Allen, LB, Georgia David Bailey, DE, Texas Tech Rueben Bain Jr., DE, Miami Caleb Banks, DT, Florida Carson Beck, QB, Miami Chris Bell, WR, Louisville Germie Bernard, WR, Alabama Chase Bisontis, G, Texas A&M Denzel Boston, WR, Washington Zachariah Branch, WR, Georgia Xavier Chaplin, OT, Auburn Brandon Cisse, CB, South Carolina Jonah Coleman, RB, Washington K.C. Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M Omar Cooper, WR, Indiana Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU Oscar Delp, TE, Georgia Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State Gennings Dunker, OT/G, Iowa Spencer Fano, OT, Utah Keldric Faulk, DE, Auburn Malachi Fields, WR, Notre Dame Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia Earnest Greene III, OT, Georgia John Michael Gyllenborg, QB, Wyoming Anthony Hill Jr., LB, Texas Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee Cashius Howell, DE, Texas A&M Lee Hunter, DT, Texas Tech Ted Hurst, WR, Georgia State Max Iheanachor, OT, Arizona State Vega Ioane, G, Penn State Gabe Jacas, DE, Illinois Darrell Jackson Jr., DT, Florida State Domani Jackson, CB, Alabama Chris Johnson, CB, San Diego State Javon Kilgore, S, South Carolina Cade Klubnik, QB, Clemson Malachi Lawrence, DE, Central Florida Makai Lemon, WR, USC Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah Kyle Louis, OLB, Pittsburgh Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio State Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana Akheem Mesidor, DE, Miami Blake Miller, OT, Clemson Christian Miller, DT, Georgia Derrick Moore, DE, Michigan Garrett Nussmeier, QB, LSU L.T. Overton, DT, Alabama T.J. Parker, DE, Clemson Harold Perkins, OLB, LSU Emmanuel Pregnon, G, Oregon Jadarian Price, RB, Notre Dame Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama Kamari Ramsey, S, USC Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State Tony Rojas, LB, Penn State Sam Roush, TE, Stanford Joe Royer, TE, Cincinnati Keylan Rutledge, G, Georgia Tech Keon Sabb, S, Alabama Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon LaNorris Sellers, QB, South Carolina Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama Nicholas Singleton, RB, Penn State Jake Slaughter, C, Florida Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon R. Mason Thomas, DE/OLB, Oklahoma Michael Trigg, TE, Baylor Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State Mateo Uiagalelei, DE, Oregon Mike Washington, RB, Arkansas Antonio Williams, WR, Clemson Peter Woods, DT, Clemson Isaiah World, OT, Oregon Zion Young, DE, Missouri



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