PATRIOTS 2026 SECOND-ROUND DRAFT PICK GABE JACAS
PRESS CONFERENCE
April 24, 2026
Q: Hey Gabe, welcome to New England. I'm curious, what sort of pre-draft connections did you have with the Patriots? Did you take a 30 visit? Did Mike Vrabel come work you out? How did that all work out for you?
GJ: So yeah, I had a 30 visit with them, I'd say like two weeks ago or a week ago, I forgot. It was my last visit of the month. Just fell in love with the coaching staff, especially coach Mike Smith, outside linebacker coach there. And just his philosophy and his mindset on just the position, I just loved it, and I knew this team, if they were to get me, was going to be the right fit for me. So, I'm just blessed that they gave me a chance, and they came and got me when they did. So, all glory to God, and I'm ready to start as soon as possible.
Q: Congratulations man, welcome to New England. For Patriots fans who are going to be watching you for the first time, what can they expect? How would you describe your game?
GJ: Just playing with a relentless motor. Very disruptive, very violent. Someone that's very dependable, someone that's going to bring the energy and the juice to the team. And someone that's just all around, just an all-out motor player and someone that they can just look forward to see playing. That's the player they can expect.
Q: Gabe, congratulations man, welcome to New England. I'm curious, with your wrestling background, how has that helped you develop as an edge rusher, setting the edge in general and your hand use? That's one of the things that really pops out watching your tape.
GJ: Yeah, wrestling helped a lot. You know, I wrestled for four years in high school, and just to say, like, the ability to, you know, being low, having leverage, using your hands, fighting, those all keyed into football. You know, wrestling has a lot of trade over into football, especially with hand fighting. Especially at this position on the edge, you got to use your hands effectively, and that's one thing that I carried over the most with is being able to use my hands efficiently and effectively. So, everyone knows me as a football player, but wrestling had a big part in that as well. And I'm just thankful again and grateful that I'm in this position and being with the Patriots.
Q: Hi Gabe, congratulations. I'm just curious, what, if anything, about the Patriots when you were on your visit stuck out to you? And what's it like being drafted to this organization specifically?
GJ: It's honestly a blessing. You know, a lot of people ask me, like, what was your favorite visit? And the Patriots always pop up in my mind. And just I felt like the structure and how they ran things; obviously, they were in the Super Bowl last year, but I feel like a lot of the guys, a lot of the players believe in the head coach and believe in who he is as a person. And I'm one person that can fall behind, and I just love the coaching staff and how they treated me when I got there. You know, they challenged me not only physically but mentally. Just the install, like I could just tell in their process, really try to make it hard to evaluate players. And, I just love the challenge and I love how they go about things and who they are, like, as a team, their identity. It's kind of my brand of football. I love all the physicality and just how they are on the defense. Obviously, they got good guys up front, Christian Gonzalez, all those guys. Just looking forward to seeing them in the building and just getting to know everybody.
Q: Hello again Gabe. I know you have a relationship with Joe Kim, who was formerly with the Patriots. Can you tell us a little bit more about that? And also, again, going back to the hand party, I'm sorry to get repetitive, but how he helped in that area of your game as well?
GJ: Oh yeah, Joe Kim is one of the best in the business at that. You know, obviously Joe Kim has been around a lot of players and a lot of teams. And one thing that he always brought to the room was just, be able to use your hand effectively, and then staying on your track line, staying close to the fight. Just attacking the tackle, don't go around them, don't go away from them, just go, stay on your track and go right through them. So Joe Kim is my guy, and I really appreciate how he developed me into the pass rusher I am now. And I can't thank him enough for just helping my game a lot. And it's funny, I had a visit with the Patriots obviously and he was like, "Yeah, you're a Patriot." And it was just so funny to hear him say that.
Q: Congrats, Gabe. I'm curious, what's one thing off the field – you've mentioned wrestling, but what's one thing off the field that you want Patriots fans to know about you as a person? And what can they expect from you just as a human being?
GJ: Yeah, I'm an easygoing guy. Easy to get along with. I'm a people person. I can get along with anybody. I'm very energetic. I'm very goofy. Someone they could just, if they see, they can talk to. Friendly. Just a good person to be around. Just excited to bring that to Foxborough.
Q: Hey, Gabe. Congratulations. Along with Joe Kim, we have a couple other Patriot connections there in Illinois, right? Bret Bielema coached in New England. James White played in New England. Just how familiar are you with the Patriots organization based off three of the coaches that you had there?
GJ: Pretty well. Obviously, Coach B [Bret Bielema] coached there with Bill Belichick, so the formality right there is already enough because Coach B played a lot of the Patriots film in the meeting rooms and kind of try to relate how they practice, how they play, to our team. So, it was like, whenever they called me, it felt like just right. And I just like their brand of football. Kevin Richardson is up there too, as well. I feel like I know a lot about the Patriots and I'm just excited, again, to get started.
Q: Hey Gabe, you mentioned that the coaches would play a lot of Patriots film for you at Illinois. Is there either somebody you watched there or just you remember watching when you were younger – is there one Patriots player that you maybe modeled your game after or you liked watching?
GJ: I'm so glad you said that. Matt Judon. Joe Kim coached him as well at the Patriots. There's so many similarities to my game and his, and I can't wait to just continue to get better and to continue to be a proceeding edge rusher. And that's someone I can model my game after. Someone that used to be at the Patriots. Speed-to-power guy, able to use his hands well, able to work, edge moves and power moves. And you can just tell that Joe Kim definitely had a big part in that as well. It's funny because I talked to him, I think, last year before my senior year, and just hearing his mind and his approach to the game really helped a lot.
Q: Hey Gabe, welcome to New England. You started four years at Illinois. You stayed four years at Illinois. I imagine there were probably opportunities with the NIL to maybe go somewhere else. Why did you decide to stay there?
GJ: Well, just because Illinois took a chance on me, they developed me to the player I am today and there's no need for me to go. Illinois made me who I am today, and I give so much thanks to their staff, Coach B and every coach I worked with. It didn't feel right leaving. I didn't want to leave because I also believe in loyalty, too. They treated me right and I was able to just become better each year being under Coach B. So, that's one of the main reasons why I didn't leave. And I didn't want to, quite frankly. There was no need to. And I knew how I was in my identity.
Q: Hey Gabe, I'm curious, what was that phone call with the Patriots like when they called you and being like, "We traded up 55 overall." What was that moment like?
GJ: I felt like a lot of weight was on my shoulder and just got released. It's like a breath of fresh air. It's a real moment. I dreamed of this ever since I was a little kid, and the fact that I got that call, it's just like, I finally got that call. Everything I worked up to this point, it's like it paid off and it doesn't stop here. I've got to keep going. I can't get complacent. I'm just excited to just get started. I can't say that enough.
Q: Gabe, obviously the Patriots have an immediate need at edge rusher it feels like. What about your skill set, your background, the four years at Illinois, allows you to think that you're ready right now to help the Patriots and help them win games this season?
GJ: The type of player I am. I'm a fan of their brand of football. Tough, smart, dependable, the physicality that you've got to bring to the team. I think I have all those traits and those characteristics to make an impact, whatever that is. Just ready to get there, learn the scheme, learn the playbook, learn from the veterans and just continue to perfect and work on my craft. There's a lot of stuff that I can still improve on. I'm so glad that I have coach Mike Smith, someone that I just speak highly of because of the way he presented himself, which is – that's like my type of guy, my type of coach.
