The Lions Should Draft This Guy: Illinois’ edge rusher Gabe Jacas just feels like a Lions culture guy

Jacas is a true culture fit and he can rush the passer, but there are some concerns about his ability to stop the run

Mike Payton — Detroit Lions Beat Writer
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Nov 1, 2025; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini linebacker Gabe Jacas (17) celebrates his sack on Rutgers Scarlet Knights quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis (16) during the first half at Memorial Stadium.
Nov 1, 2025; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini linebacker Gabe Jacas (17) celebrates his sack on Rutgers Scarlet Knights quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis (16) during the first half at Memorial Stadium. Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

We’re getting closer and closer to the 2026 NFL Draft for the Detroit Lions. With that in mind, we’re starting our new series called The Lions Should Draft This Guy. We’re going to profile a bunch of players we feel the Lions would love, and talk about their positives and negatives. Follow along! Here’s who we’ve covered so far:

The positives of Gabe Jacas

Jacas has worked himself up the board during the draft process by showing his athleticism. On top of that, he had a really strong season for the Fighting Illini in 2025 with 41 pressures and 12 sacks. He also had a strong 88 grade from Pro Football Focus.

The thing the Lions probably love about him is that he’s a lot like Ahmed Hassanein in the sense that he plays with aggression and plays like his hair is on fire. The guy is a powerhouse who has a strong bull rush and strong motor.

He was a team captain at Illinois and has been called a “workaholic” by teammates. That has Dan Campbell written all over it. The Lions could grab him with the 50th pick, so they can get that next franchise tackle in the first round.

The Concerns

Jacas did get hurt during the pre-draft process. It was a mild hamstring strain, but for a team that seems to have a lot of hamstring issues, it’s bound to send shivers up the spines of Lions fans. Besides that, he has remained mostly healthy.

On the field, Jacas really struggles to set the edge in the run game, and that could scare the Lions away despite him being good at rushing the passer and being a culture fit. PFF gave him a 64.3 run defense grade in 2025. Not the worst thing you’ve ever seen, but enough to question whether the Lions would like him.

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