CHAMPAIGN — The Illinois coaching staff thought highly enough of Gabe Jacas to include him as one of three players representing the program at Big Ten media days in July.
It was mostly because the Illini weren’t sure the junior outside linebacker would be around in 2025 to do it — even following a dip in production in 2023 after he earned FWAA Freshman All-American honors the year prior.
Jacas will be draft-eligible after this season, and there’s never not been interest from the NFL in the Port St. Lucie, Florida, native. How Illinois has used Jacas through the first three games this fall has both maximized his production in the Illini defense and bolstered his status as a draft prospect.
Jacas still lines up at outside linebacker, an imposing, physical edge rusher listed at 6-foot-3 and 275 pounds. But No. 24 Illinois has also regularly slid him inside to fill the same spot on the defensive line Johnny Newton did in years past.
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Jacas did both in Saturday’s 30-9 win against Central Michigan and put together his most productive game of the season. Bouncing between outside linebacker and defensive lineman, he finished with six tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack and one forced fumble.
“Coach is always telling us, ‘How can we put players in the best position to be successful?’†Illinois defensive coordinator Aaron Henry said. “That transition from outside to inside is so seamless for him. Gabe, to be able to slide him outside and move him inside, it’s really just maximizing his ability because we think Gabe is truly, truly special.â€
Wanting to be able to move Jacas between outside linebacker and the defensive line — where he mostly lines up inside an offensive tackle’s shoulder — and knowing it will work are two different things. Jacas’ standout freshman season happened in part because of the football IQ he brought with him. His one start on the defensive line in 2023 against Wisconsin when Newton was serving the second half of his targeting suspension showed Jacas could handle multiple positions.
“We knew early on his capacity to learn,†Illinois defensive line coach Terrance Jamison said. “That allowed him to get some awards, some acknowledgments from that. When you know you have a player who can learn a defense, learn football and you give him more opportunities and more reps and get him in the weight room and get him a little bigger, you can expand that playbook a little bit for him.â€
Jacas played with his hand on the ground as a defensive lineman at Fort Pierce Central High School in Florida. That made doing so again for Illinois after spending basically two full seasons as a stand-up edge rusher an easier transition. Taking advantage of his speed on the outside against slower offensive tackles and the strength he packs into his 6-3, 275-pound frame to handle interior offensive lineman lets the Illini defensive coaches hunt for mismatches.
“His ability to play some 4i and come back and play some outside ’backer provides a lot of value for us and a lot of challenges for other teams,†Illinois outside linebackers coach Clint Sintim said. “I’m happy to share him with (Jamison). We communicate well as far as when he needs to go down there and when he’s with me. I think it just adds more value to our team when you’ve got a guy like Gabe who’s willing to work in both aspects and try to be productive at both.â€
Jacas said playing both positions has advanced his game, even if it’s added to his workload each week. Film study gets significantly more detailed.
“I’ve got to watch the whole O-line now not just the tackles,†he said. “I’ve got to watch the guards and the center. A lot of preparation goes into it. ... The block schemes I get are definitely different. Hand in the dirt, I’ve got to read different things, but I have the same mentality every play.â€