Gabe Jacas
Getty
CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 29: Gabe Jacas #17 of the Illinois Fighting Illini in action against the Western Illinois Leathernecks during the first half at Memorial Stadium on August 29, 2025 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
The Chicago Bears have a lot of options to research when it comes to adding a pass rusher during the 2026 NFL Draft, but Illinois’ Gabe Jacas is making it known he should stay in Illinois.
Jacas, who Bleacher Report compared to Minnesota Vikings’ pass rusher Jonathan Greenard, is projected to go in the second round. A round where the Bears happen to have two selections (picks 57 and 60).
He turned a lot of heads on Wednesday during his private workout for NFL teams, where, according to The Athletic’s Dane Brugler, he ran a 4.69 40-yard dash with a 1.59 10-yard split at 261 pounds despite dealing with a recent hamstring injury that kept him from testing at the Combine or pro day.
“That’s a 74th percentile 40 yard dash and an 87th percentile 10 yard,” Tommy of Bears Blog Boy wrote on X. “If this dude could just fix his get off I think he could be the best power rusher in the class.”
27-Sack Prospect Gabe Jacas Sent a Strong Message to the Bears
It’s hard not to like the measurables from Gabe Jacas, along with his uptick in production. Since joining Illinois back in 2022, he’s improved his sack total from four a season in 2022 and 2023, respectively, to eight in 2024 and then 11 in 2025.
NFL draft analyst Lance Zierlein believes Jacas will be an “eventually plus starter,” writing, “Jacas is well-built with tremendous play strength and the ability to play as a hand-down end or a stand-up edge.”
One anonymous NFC scouting director also had this to say regarding Jacas: “He’s smart, he’s a great teammate and he’s really, really strong. Play-through-your-face type of guy.”
He’s making a good case for the Bears not to let him leave the state of Illinois.
ZeeBee
Gabe Jacas just ran a 4.69 40 yard dash ay the Illinois Pro-Day. That’s where the 26 sacks came from.
He plays closer to 270, and he’s: > fast > powerful > at his best when he uses his arms
Jacas is among the best value EDGES in a deep class.
Ryan Poles’ Draft Philosophy Won’t Change for One Prospect
Even if the Bears fall in love with a player like Gabe Jacas, it’s not going to change general manager Ryan Poles’ philosophy when it comes to attacking the draft.
“You look at the draft, when I’ve been here, we’ve taken the right mentality and taken the best available… and I think that’s paid off for us,” Poles said. “We got an All-Pro tackle [Darnell Wright] and Colston [Loveland’s] going to be an All-Pro tight end. So, we’ve done some really good things here. …I think the biggest mistake you can make is forcing something just because that’s what you need.”
The Bears going out and drafting Jacas will depend on several factors, including whether they draft a pass rusher in the first round, or if there are players who drop that it’s a no-brainer move to snag, like what happened when Luther Burden fell to the Bears’ lap in the second round last year.
Either way, Jacas is an extremely intriguing prospect who would fit like a glove in defensive coordinator Dennis Allen’s scheme.
He’s got the measurables and production to make an immediate impact on day one, and he could be a game-changer where the Bears need it most.