Day one of the NFL Draft is completed, and the Illinois football team didn’t have a player taken off the board.
This wasn’t a shock, as the best available for the Illini is currently Gabe Jacas. He is the No. 16 player on the board right now, so that could mean he goes in the second round depending on team need.
There are plenty of teams that could use a solid edge rusher. I am eyeing three teams later in the second round to pull the trigger on Jacas.
Here are the three best NFL Draft landing spots for Illinois football EDGE Gabe Jacas
Chicago Bears – Round 2, Pick #25
It would only make sense for the Chicago Bears to take a shot at Jacas in the 2026 NFL Draft. They went with a safety in the first round to strengthen the secondary, and now adding to the front seven wouldn’t be a bad idea.
The Bears only had 35 sacks last season, which ranked in the bottom half of the NFL. They were also one of the worst rush defenses in the league, giving up 134.5 yards per game on the ground.
There isn’t a ton of depth at defensive end for Chicago either. They have Montez Sweat, who was a solid addition. When healthy, I liked what Austin Booker brought to the franchise last season. But the Bears won’t blow you away with defensive end talent.
This would be a chance for Jacas to come into the franchise and, at worst, be a second-string backup in year one. He could see a lot of snaps, too.
San Francisco 49ers – Round 2, Pick #26
The next team I am eyeing for Jacas to land is the San Francisco 49ers. No, they won’t take him with the first pick in the second round, but they have two later second round picks that could be intriguing.
Last season, the 49ers weren’t terrible when it came to rush defense, but their pass defense was nothing to write home about. They gave up 232.4 yards per game through the air, which ranked No. 24 in the NFL.
The most shocking number that stands out about the 49ers is the fact that they couldn’t get to the quarterback. They only had 20 sacks on the season, which was dead last in the league.
San Francisco only has one good defensive end, and that is Nick Bosa. Sadly, he can’t stay healthy. He only played in three games in 2025, and the best ability is availability.
If the 49ers take Jacas, he wouldn’t just be in line for snaps, but I could legitimately see him get starts and maybe ever be a first-stringer in 2026. This franchise needs defensive end talent.
New England Patriots – Round 2, Pick #30
It is kind of crazy how far the New England Patriots got last season without a dangerous defense. They have started to correct that this offseason.
The Patriots have already addressed the secondary by signing Bears Pro Bowl safety Kevin Byard. They should now address the defensive line.
New England only had 35 sacks last season, which ranked No. 26 in the NFL. They do rank in the top 10 in both pass and rush defense, but I think a lot of that has to do with their offense controlling games. The Patriots had the ball 52.09% of the time, which ranked No. 5 in the NFL. That masked a lot of their defensive deficiencies.
I could see the Patriots taking Jacas in the second round with pick No. 30. They could provide him a nice landing spot as a second-string defensive end. He could see a lot of snaps in year one and then develop into a starter from there. This would be a good spot for him to land.
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