The loss of a player like Gabe Jacas on the defense is going to affect the Illinois football program.
Whenever a team loses a top-three round NFL Draft pick like Jacas, it will take some time to adjust. Jacas was a do-it-all player for the Illini defense. We needed to find someone who could potentially replace him this offseason.
Illinois has a lot of newcomers to the roster, but one player who is gaining some momentum is Will Holmes. New Illini defense coordinator Bobby Hauck raved about Holmes in Wednesday’s press conference.
“Will is big, fast, and physical, so that is a good place to start with a defensive player. He is an intelligent guy.”
Holmes joined the Illinois program after spending two seasons at Utah State. His best year was in 2025 when he amassed 45 tackles and two sacks for the Aggies. While that is a good sophomore campaign, Hauck sees better things coming for this talented defensive lineman.
“I think his best football is in front of him. I think he is just scratching the surface. My notes from practice yesterday were that Will Holmes is going to be hard to handle.”
What is interesting is that Holmes came in as a linebacker. I think with the old regime, he would have been that edge type of player that Jacas was, as he is a versatile player. But in the Hauck defense, Illinois has moved him into the defensive line role.
Moving Will Holmes to the defensive line is a smart move by the Illinois football program
Since the Jer’Zhan Newton days, Illinois has struggled to find consistent defensive line play. This group has been filled with nomadic players, and there hasn’t been a go-to guy.
I think Holmes can be that option for the next three seasons. He can settle into the defensive line and be a wrecking ball off the edge that Illinois needs to disrupt some of the best quarterbacks in the country.
There is no doubt in my mind that Holmes will see a ton of snaps in 2026. In my original projected depth chart for the 2026 season, I had Holmes as a second-string defensive lineman. I think he could legitimately see multiple starts and maybe even claim a full-time starting job this season.
It was a smart move by the Illinois coaching staff to move Holmes to the defensive line. He can make a bigger impact up front than he can in the middle of the defense. I am gaining confidence in the Illinois front seven more and more by the day.
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