Gabriel Jacas (ACK-iss; born May 27, 2004) is an American professional football linebacker for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Illinois Fighting Illini and was selected by the Patriots in the second round of the 2026 NFL draft.
 Jacas with Illinois in 2022 | |
| No. 50 – New England Patriots | |
|---|---|
| Position | Linebacker |
| Roster status | Unsigned draft pick |
| Personal information | |
| Born | May 27, 2004 |
| Listed height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
| Listed weight | 261 lb (118 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Fort Pierce Central (Fort Pierce, Florida) |
| College | Illinois (2022–2025) |
| NFL draft | 2026: 2nd round, 55th overall pick |
| Career history | |
| |
| Awards and highlights | |
| |
| Stats at Pro Football Reference | |
Early life
editJacas grew up in Port St. Lucie, Florida and attended Fort Pierce Central High School.[1] In addition to playing football, he won two state titles in wrestling.[2] Jacas was rated a three-star recruit and originally committed to play college football at Tulane during the summer before his senior year.[3] He later flipped his commitment to Illinois after coach Bret Bielema received a tip from an area scout and offered him a scholarship.[4][5]
College career
editJacas was named a starter at outside linebacker entering his freshman season with the Illinois Fighting Illini.[6]
Professional career
edit| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | Wingspan | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | Bench press | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 3+5⁄8 in (1.92 m) | 260 lb (118 kg) | 33 in (0.84 m) | 10 in (0.25 m) | 6 ft 6+7⁄8 in (2.00 m) | 4.68 s | 1.59 s | 2.75 s | 30 reps | ||||
| All values from NFL Combine/Pro Day[7][8] | ||||||||||||
In the 2026 NFL draft, Jacas was picked 55th overall by the New England Patriots in the second round.[9] The Patriots traded away their 63rd, 131st, and 202nd to acquire the 55th pick from the Los Angeles Chargers.
References
edit- ↑ Richey, Scott (September 1, 2022). "Jacas putting physical advantage to use". The News-Gazette. Retrieved October 20, 2022.
- ↑ Cooney, Bryan (March 6, 2022). "Central's Gabriel Jacas goes back-to-back as state wrestling champ". TCPalm. Retrieved October 20, 2022.
- ↑ Cooney, Bryan (August 14, 2021). "Super 11, No. 3: Fort Pierce Central's Gabriel Jacas set for big year". TCPalm. Retrieved October 20, 2022.
- ↑ Kimball, Anderson (September 17, 2022). "How a tip from a Florida coach landed Illinois an edge rusher in Gabe Jacas". The Pantagraph. Retrieved October 20, 2022.
- ↑ Navarro, Manny (October 20, 2022). "The True Freshman Report: Illinois edge rusher has NFL scouts salivating, plus Oregon State RB to watch". The Athletic. Retrieved October 20, 2022.
- ↑ Kimball, Anderson (September 22, 2022). "How a Gabe Jacas photo convinced Illinois football to recruit the freshman defender". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved October 20, 2022.
- ↑ "Gabe Jacas Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved March 19, 2026.
- ↑ "Gabe Jacas College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved March 19, 2026.
- ↑ Lazar, Evan (April 25, 2026). "Analysis: Patriots Select EDGE Gabe Jacas and TE Eli Raridon on Day Two of the 2026 NFL Draft". Patriots.com. Retrieved April 25, 2026.
External links
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