Patriots' Gabe Jacas Earns Major Praise After Impressive Debut vs Seahawks

The New England Patriots dropped the opening game of the 2026 NFL season to the Seattle Seahawks 13-10 in disappointing fashion.

New England held a 10-0 lead in the second half of the game, but the team wasn't able to hold on for the win. Multiple interceptions from quarterback Drake Maye allowed the Seahawks to get back into the game, and ultimately, it was too much for the Patriots to overcome.

The loss was tough to swallow, especially considering that it was a Super Bowl rematch. The Patriots weren't able to avenge the loss from February, but there is still a lot of the season left to go.

Despite the loss, the Patriots did have a few solid performances from players across the roster. One of them came from rookie defender Gabe Jacas, the Patriots' second-round draft pick this year from Illinois. 

Jacas had three total tackles, two coming for loss, with one sack in his NFL debut. Playing in front of a rowdy Seattle crowd, his performance was excellent to see for the Patriots.

His play earned him the highest-graded performance from a rookie in the season opener, according to Pro Football Focus College, coming in at 77.3. The Patriots have been very high on the upside of Jacas, and he proved the team right in his first game.

New England needed more pass rushing help entering the season, so to see the rookie play like this has to make the team excited. Jacas was an excellent college player for the Fighting Illini, putting up 183 total tackles (35.5 for loss) and 27.0 sacks over four years at Illinois.

NFL Draft analyst Todd McShay was hyped up about Jacas following his first career sack. Jacas was all over the field against the Seahawks, being a true bright spot for the team. 

“My guy! Gabe Jacas… first of MANY NFL career sacks,” McShay wrote. “An absolutely relentless passrusher with heavy hands and elite instincts. His wrestling background really stood out on tape. Leverage and balance!”

If Jacas can keep up this level of performance, the Patriots will have gotten a true steal in the second-round of the 2026 draft. Jacas has the motor to be great, and the Patriots will give him all the opportunities to seize the opportunity on the field.

Jacas and the Patriots will have another chance to prove themselves in Week 2 when New England hosts the Pittsburgh Steelers.