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New England Patriots again look to Illinois football for Super Bowl recipe

Illinois football had a big Friday night, as another member of the program is now heading to an NFL franchise via the NFL Draft.
ByRees Woodcock|
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Apr 23, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; The 2026 NFL Draft logo on the theater stage at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Apr 23, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; The 2026 NFL Draft logo on the theater stage at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The NFL Draft is in the final stages, and the Illinois football team now has one player taken off the board.

It was always going to be a toss-up on how many Illini players were going to go in the first three rounds, which is the first two days. Most people thought it was just one, Gabe Jacas, but there was always the chance someone like JC Davis was going to go higher than projected.

Coming into day two, I had three teams who I thought would be perfect for Jacas. Sure enough, with pick No. 23 in the second round, the New England Patriots selected the talented edge rusher.

This is a great fit for Jacas, as the Patriots were missing quarterback pressure last season. They have revamped their defense, and New England will be making another run at the Super Bowl this year.

What is crazy is that, regardless of the coach, this franchise has been known to like Illinois players. Throughout time, the Patriots and Illini have always had a connection.

It all started with Tony Eason in 1983. Just two years later, he was quarterbacking the Patriots in the Super Bowl against the Chicago Bears. We all know how that went.

You had Eugene Wilson go in the 2003 NFL Draft in the second round. He started 55 games in five seasons with the Patriots and won two Super Bowls.

Tavon Wilson was selected in 2012, and Michael Buchanan in 2013. The Patriots would go on to win another Super Bowl with them on the roster.

New England needed more protection for some no-name scrub of a quarterback named Tom Brady, so they went out and got Teddy Karras in the 2016 NFL Draft. Two more Super Bowl wins followed.

The New England Patriots are getting a dog with the NFL Draft selection of Gabe Jacas

When the Patriots selected Jacas in the second round, it wasn’t a shock, but it was awesome to see. This kid wasn’t one of those top recruits coming out of high school, and I think that makes him special.

With a lot of the top guys, they are super athletes who were always the best players. They were never doubted throughout the process. That chip isn’t on their shoulders to prove those haters wrong.

Jacas wasn’t the most highly recruited player coming into the college ranks. He was just a three-star who was the No. 1261 player in the class of 2022.

On top of that, Jacas didn’t have a million programs to choose from. Being from Florida, the only in-state programs to offer him a scholarship were South Florida and Florida International. That is it.

Not only do I believe New England is getting a talented player skill-wise, but they are getting someone who loves the game and has been doubted at every turn. Jacas is a dog, and they are going to get that mentality until the day he retires. If history wins out, it will be as another Super Bowl champion as well.

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