Could Illinois Edge Gabe Jacas Emerge as a Fit for the Chargers?

With the Los Angeles Chargers losing star pass rusher Odafe Oweh to the Washington Commanders on a four-year, $100 million deal with $68 million guaranteed during free agency, adding a young edge rusher through the 2026 NFL Draft could be a smart move for the Bolts.

While the team brought back veteran Khalil Mack on a one-year, $18 million contract extension, pairing another pass rusher alongside him and Tuli Tuipulotu would make sense to fill the remaining void. In that case, Illinois star defensive end Gabe Jacas could be a logical fit for the Chargers, depending on how the rest of the draft board falls.

The 21-year-old Port St. Lucie, FL native spent all four years of his college career with the Fighting Illini, earning Freshman All-American honors in 2022, Third-Team All-Big Ten and Third-Team All-American in 2024, and First-Team All-Big Ten in 2025.

This past season, Jacas recorded 43 total tackles (23 solo), 41 pressures (14.9% pass-rush win rate), 11 sacks, three forced fumbles, and one pass deflection, earning an 88.0 pass-rush grade from Pro Football Focus (86.3 true pass-rush grade)—ranking 38th out of 852 qualifying defensive ends. Over his college career, he totaled 184 tackles (98 solo), 142 pressures, 27 sacks, seven forced fumbles, and two passes deflected.

Jacas recently participated in the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine, measuring six-foot-four and 260 pounds with 33-inch arms and 10-inch hands. He only participated in the bench press, posting 30 reps at the standard weight of 225 pounds.

According to Next Gen Stats, Jacas earned a total score of 77, ranking eighth among participating edge rushers. His production score of 75 ranked 10th, while his estimated athleticism score of 82 ranked third at the position.

NFL analyst Lance Zierlein gave Jacas the professional comparison of veteran pass rusher Matthew Judon, as he has a strong, well-built frame with the versatility to line up as both a hand-in-the-dirt defensive end and a stand-up edge rusher. His game is rooted in power and physicality, allowing him to hold up against blockers and collapse the pocket with force rather than pure explosiveness.

While his pass-rush approach isn’t overly twitchy, he consistently wins with effort and a relentless motor. With his toughness and experience as a team captain, he has what it takes to be a reliable, long-term starter at the next level and could make sense as a potential Oweh successor for the Chargers if he’s available at pick 55.