For the second night in a row the Patriots move up in the draft.
With the 55th overall pick in the second round, the New England Patriots have selected edge rusher Gabe Jacas out of Illinois.
At 6 foot 4 and 260 pounds, Jacas is a physical and, oddly, one of the more violent edge rushers in the draft, which is a trait this Patriots coaching staff can get behind in 2026.
For the second night in a row, the Patriots made a move up a few spots to get their guy. In round one, the Patriots jumped from 31st overall to the 28th pick via a trade with the Buffalo Bills for OT out of Utah, Caleb Lomu.
Jacas had an impressive stint in Illinois, totaling 27 sacks (9th in school history, second since 1983) and 19 sacks in his final two seasons.
The Florida native doubles as a stand-up linebacker and a defensive end who thrives in the trenches.
Jacas' skill set comes from his background as a high school wrestler in central Florida. He competed in the heavyweight division and went 47-2 in his senior year of high school.
If the Patriots are looking for their next team leader on defense, they may have found it in Jacas. His peers have called him a team leader on and off the field.
His rugged, high-motor can aid the Patriots' pass rush in 2026 and fill a huge void for the team, opposite free-agent signing Dre'Mont Jones on the field.
The Patriots sent that pick along with picks 131 (fourth) and 202 (sixth) to the Los Angeles Chargers to move up and get Jacas.
With the Patriots moving up a few spots yet again to draft Jacas, one must wonder if they'll do it again in the third round later tonight, with positions like linebacker and tight end becoming a need in that round.
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