Illinois football has had some great players come through the program, but most of those players have national accolades.
Devon Witherspoon was one of the best cornerbacks in the country, and he was a consensus All-American. Jer’Zhan Newton was an elite defensive lineman, and he was another All-American for the program. The Illini have had quite a few big-time players over the years.
The program currently has one of those special talents, but the world isn’t paying attention. Gabe Jacas just finished up his fourth year with the Orange and Blue, and he is the most elite player no one is talking about.
Illinois notched win No. 8 on Saturday with a victory over Northwestern. Jacas once again made his presence known with four tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and two sacks against the Wildcats.
Those are great numbers, and they only add to his historical Illinois career. With the Northwestern game added, Jacas has finished in the top 10 in numerous Illinois statistics.
Jacas entered the program in 2022 and had four sacks as a true freshman. That ranks No. 2 all-time, only second to Simeon Rice. He had 11 sacks this season alone, which is No. 5 all-time in single-season sacks.
In regards to sacks, for Jacas’ career, he has 27 sacks, which ranks No. 2 all-time, once again behind just Rice on that list.
Jacas has also been a menace when it comes to tackles and turnovers. He has 35.5 tackles for loss during his career thus far, and that ranks No. 9 all-time in career tackles for loss. He also has seven career forced fumbles, which is No. 6 all-time, and he has had three forced fumbles in two different seasons, which both rank No. 10 all-time in Illinois history.
It is crazy to think of those great numbers, and the fact that Jacas won’t likely be an All-American this season. He is a two-time member of the All-Big Ten team, a freshman All-American, and was a third-team All-American last year by just one outlet. This kid had a great Illinois career, and no one even took notice.
The NFL should come calling after a big season by Illinois football monster Gabe Jacas
While the national media isn’t taking notice of Jacas and everything he has done on the field, the NFL shouldn’t follow suit.
Jacas is going to be drafted in April, and at this point, it is a matter of how high can he go?
The NFL Combine is going to be a showcase for Jacas and his athletic ability. He can fly to the football, and his strength is overwhelming. I think his numbers speak for themselves, too. The Big Ten has a ton of talent, and Jacas led the conference with 11 sacks this season. You don’t do that by accident.
Jacas is one of the greatest defensive players Illinois has had in the past few decades. He has done a lot of his work without national attention. Jacas’ legend will live on with this program for years to come.