As the river of talented edge rushers began to run dry in the 2026 NFL Draft, the New England Patriots showed some aggression in securing the services of a powerful defender with star potential. The Pats struck a deal with the Los Angeles Chargers trade to acquire pick 55 in Round 2 in exchange for their original pick at 63 as well as day 3 selections 131 and 202. With their newly-acquired second rounder , the Patriots selected Illinois edge rusher Gabe Jacas. Few if any edge rush prospects combine size (6-foot-3, 260 pounds) and athleticism as well as Jacas. The Illini defender finished the 2025 regular season as the conference leader in sacks (11) while also logging 43 tackles, 13.5 tackles-for-loss, one pass deflection and three forced fumbles. Jacas, a former wrestler with the power to perform a 400+ lb bench press, earned second-team All-Big Ten honors last season, in which he also led the team with 13.5 tackles for loss.…