Late in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft, the New England Patriots made a potentially franchise-altering move. They aggressively traded up the board for Illinois star defensive end Gabe Jacas, who some thought would be long gone by the 55th overall pick.
On paper, the 21-year-old should give the Patriots some much-needed depth behind Harold Landry III, not to mention a potential long-term replacement for the recently departed K’Lavon Chaisson.
Jacas could be much more than that for New England. That's at least how former Illinois defensive coordinator Aaron Henry sees it.
Speaking with ESPN's Mike Reiss, Henry went as far as to compare Jacas' determination and work ethic to that of J.J. Watt, with whom Henry played with at Wisconsin.
“Henry puts Jacas in the same category as J.J. Watt, whom he played alongside at the University of Wisconsin, in terms of how much time he spent at the facility," Reiss wrote. "He called it a wrestler's mentality (Jacas was a two-time state champion in high school) and shared that coaches used to say of Jacas: 'The dude works like a walk-on.'"
Gabe Jacas’ comparison to J.J. Watt says more about his work ethic than anything else
Jacas is a physical specimen who plays with violence and a sense of urgency on every single snap. His athleticism, raw power, and strength make him an absolute bully at the line of scrimmage, and he's the type of player who might be beaten, but never outworked. Effort will never be a concern with him.
Like all NFL rookies, he's far from a finished product. He tends to get outrun at times, but he's elite at setting the edge, and his background as a wrestler gives him an impressive understanding of how to use his body, leverage, and hands to shed blocks with ease.
Even if he doesn't reach J.J. Watt-level of dominance, (which, to be fair, is a pretty big ask for any prospect) he could have a long and successful career because of his ferocity and determination to get better.
Like so many former Patriots greats have shown, it's never about where you're drafted as much as it is about what you do with the opportunities you're given. Jacas has that underdog mentality and relentless motor, and that has always been the Patriots Way.
Defensive coordinator Zak Kuhr has some work to do with Jacas. He has to add another gear to his get-off speed and do better against the run. But with that impressive work ethic that Henry praised, he should speed through that rookie learning curve.
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