Illinois edge rusher Gabe Jacas shooting up NFL Draft boards

USA Today

01-08-2025

Gabe Jacas discusses what he needs to do in order to further improve his already high NFL Draft stock
The Illinois Fighting Illini, who finished last season ranked #16 in the final AP poll, opened training camp today with sky high expectations. Illinois returns 18/22 starters from a 10-win team that has a host of NFL Draft prospects. Senior EDGE Gabe Jacas has the highest draft stock of anybody on the team.
He is starting to show up regularly in the second round of NFL mock drafts everywhere. At this point, with the season having not even started yet, it's just all speculation. Jacas knows he must put in the work on in order to realize his National Football League aspirations.
The Port St. Lucie, FL native discussed the specific fundamentals that he needs to work on during his final season of college football.
"It's hand placement, it's leverage," he said in an exclusive with RG. "It's staying low, and just that first that get off, that first step, and just being quicker off the ball."
Jacas, who projects perfectly to the next level as a 3-4 Outside Linebacker, wasn't done. He continued listing out specific ways in which he knows he can get better, and thus continue moving up the draft boards:
"doing different moves, doing moves that can help me win (individual matchups) faster. So there are always things I can improve on in my game, and I've been working on those things."
"Just being efficient with my hands, (in the way that I) attack the tackles, just having a move in mind at all times, and, you know being proactive on the field, having that motor."
"A lot of the great pass rushers, they have a good motor, and that's something I would like to add to my game."
Jacas, who was named to the Lott IMPACT Trophy (biggest impact, both on and off the field) and Bronko Nagurski (Defensive Player of the Year) preseason watch lists, also added that many of the best pass rushers have a great motor, and that is something he would like to add to his overall game.
The young man pegged by CBS Sports in April as the 20th best overall player in college football, regardless of position, is living in the golden age of EDGEs.
If you're a college football player looking to get drafted, this is a great time to be an edge rusher, or defensive end/outside linebacker hybrid. The NFL currently places a high premium on this position.
Jacas had 13 tackles for a loss, eight sacks and 10 quarterback hurries last season, leading the Illini in all three categories. He is the standout player, and leader of a stellar Illinois defensive front seven that should be among the better units in the Big Ten.
It has been about a quarter century since the last time the Illini had preseason expectations as high as they currently do. Typically, Illinois does not have high preseason expectations, and that's understandable, given how they have not accomplished back to back winning seasons since 2010-2011, and both of those seasons saw a 7-6 finish.
The program has not accomplished consecutive eight-win seasons since 1989-1990, but head coach Bret Bielema has turned things around. A defensive lineman during his playing days at Iowa, Bielema knows what it takes to play stout defense in the Big Ten.
He's also done a great job of developing Illini defenders and sending them to the NFL. Devon Witherspoon (Seattle Seahawks), Sydney Brown (Philadelphia Eagles), Quan Martin and Johnny Newton (Washington Commanders) are a few examples from the past couple years.
Jacas definitely seems next in line.
As midsummer passes and Labor Day weekend draws closer, the number of media opportunities with college football players increases. One of the joys of these late summer media opps is hearing prospects discuss what they need to do in order to reach the league.
It's enjoyable on two levels. First, it really makes you realize that football is just around the corner. Secondly, it's always uplifting to hear someone get fired up when discussing their hopes, dreams, motivations and aspirations.