The Carolina Panthers are set up to take one of the NFL Draft's most underrated freaks in the second round on Friday night.
The Carolina Panthers decided to address their offensive line in the first round of the NFL Draft on Thursday evening, selecting Georgia tackle Monroe Freeling at No. 19.
Now, the Panthers must decide which of their needs is the most important to rectify on Day 2 Friday night.
One thing is for sure: Carolina could use another pass rusher, as it managed just 30 sacks in 2025. Yes, the Panthers signed Jaelan Phillips to a monster $120 million contract in free agency, but he logged only five sacks himself this past season.
The good news for Carolina is that there are still plenty of very intriguing edge rushers on the board, and one name the Panthers should seriously be considering at No. 43 is Illinois standout Gabe Jacas.
Jacas may very well be one of the most underrated freaks in this draft class.
The 6-foot-4, 260-pound defender was one of the most powerful, athletic players at his position this past year. In the rugged Big Ten, he racked up 43 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, 11 sacks and three forced fumbles.
Gabe Jacas forces a fumble. Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images.The season prior, Jacas rattled off 74 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, eight sacks and three forced fumbles.
When it comes to production, there is no doubting Jacas, who is good both against the run and the pass. And he has been producing ever since his freshman campaign at Illinois back in 2022.
Jacas' style can be described as violent. He is a nightmare for offensive linemen, and while he won't be able to bull rush quite as effectively on the NFL level, make no mistake: he is still explosive enough to knock back opposing tackles.
The Panthers drafted both Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen on Day 2 last April, and while Scourton did register five sacks during his rookie season, Umanmielen was mostly a non-factor.
Carolina absolutely needs to add another edge rusher somewhere, and Jacas may very well be the best one available.
The question is whether or not Jacas will actually still be on the board by the time the Panthers are on the clock. If he isn't there, Cashius Howell and Zion Young represent other options, but Jacas should be at the top of their list.
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