The NFL Draft has come and gone in the blink of an eye, and the Illinois football team has another player selected.
Pat Bryant went much earlier than ESPN had projected him, as the Illini wide receiver was selected in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos. The Broncos are getting a reliable pass-catcher who can go up and high-point the football.
Bret Bielema has now had at least one player picked in every draft he has been at Illinois. That isn’t going to slow down either. There are quite a few options for the 2026 NFL Draft, and I believe there are a few locks for the Orange and Blue.
Illinois football locks for the 2026 NFL Draft
- Gabe Jacas – Edge – Round 3-4
I think Illinois has a special defensive player with Gabe Jacas. He had a sensational freshman season, and he has continued to hone his skills.
In 2024, Jacas was second on the team with 74 tackles and led the Illini with eight sacks. He also caused three fumbles and recovered one of them.
Jacas’ specialty is rushing the quarterback, as he had a Pro Football Focus grade of 83.3 in that area, which ranked No. 62 out of 805 edge rushers. The thing that makes him a special rusher is his speed and physicality. He can overpower offensive linemen and get around them with ease. He is a menace for the Illinois defense.
- JC Davis – Offensive tackle – Round 1-3
The NFL is always looking for talented offensive linemen to help protect the quarterback. That is why I think JC Davis has a spot in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Davis was an ironman for Illinois last season, starting in every game and being the rock in the offensive line. He was going to head to the NFL, but Bret Bielema went out to California and brought Davis back home for one more season.
I think Davis has a chance to not only get drafted in 2026, but depending on how Illinois does next season, look for this kid to shoot up draft boards.
- Xavier Scott – Cornerback – Round 1-2
There were a couple of players who I was surprised didn’t head to the NFL after the 2024 campaign. Xavier Scott was one of those players.
Scott was Illinois’ best cornerback last season. He amassed 49 tackles and led the Illini with four interceptions and six pass deflections. Scott also had a touchdown and a forced fumble on the season.
The Bielema era has been marked with some talented defensive back play. Scott has a chance to build his legend in 2025 and head into the 2026 NFL Draft as one of the best cornerbacks in the college game. Look for Scott to be talked about as a first-round pick next year.