It was a long offseason for the New England Patriots and rookie edge rusher Gabe Jacas. That’s all in the past now, though, as Jacas notched his first career sack in the first half against the Seattle Seahawks.
That sack came around halfway through the second quarter. By then, Drew Lock was in at quarterback for the Seahawks. When the pocket collapsed around him, he got chased down from behind by Jacas.
Jacas was lined up on right tackle Abraham Lucas on the play. A veteran, Lucas has been with Seattle since he was drafted in 2022 and started in the Super Bowl a season ago.
The Patriots took Jacas, looking to improve a pass rush that struggled to rush the passer a season ago. In fact, they were tied for just 22nd in the NFL a season ago in team sacks, with 35 on the season. That’s while also letting K’Lavon Chaisson walk and opening with Harold Landry on IR. Offseason injuries and a long contract dispute nearly disrupted his ability to produce the way the Patriots hoped he would, but it seems like Jacas is still capable of providing a boost.
Todd McShay Reacts to Gabe Jacas Notching First Sack
Patriots fans were thrilled to see Gabe Jacas notch that first career sack. They weren’t alone. NFL Draft analyst Todd McShay also made it clear that he’s happy with what Jacas was able to do in his first game.
“My guy! Gabe Jacas… first of MANY NFL career sacks,” Todd McShay wrote. “An absolutely relentless passrusher with heavy hands and elite instincts. His wrestling background really stood out on tape. Leverage and balance!”
Jacas was, undeniably, an excellent college player. In his four years at Illinois, he had 27.0 sacks and 35.5 tackles for a loss, to go along with 183 total tackles. He would also be a First-Team All-Big Ten selection in 2025.
Going back to the pre-draft process, McShay had been high on Jacas. He’d grade out the young edge rusher with an 85/100 rating. That was good enough to make him the 42nd-ranked player overall.
“Jacas’s NFL comp is Trey Hendrickson (Ravens). Jacas, like Hendrickson (pick no. 103), won’t be a first-rounder because of his athletic profile. But both are excellent with their hands, have strong wrestling backgrounds, and play with relentless motor and toughness. Jacas should develop into one of the steals from this draft,” McShay wrote before the draft.
The Patriots Were Warned About the Pass Rush Before the Season
Prior to the season, ESPN went to preview the New England Patriots. There, insider Mike Reiss came away with a major warning. The Patriots needed to figure out the pass rush.
“Pass rush. Will moving on from K’Lavon Chaisson (team-high 7.5 sacks last season) and signing Dre’Mont Jones to take his place at OLB be an upgrade? And with veteran OLB Harold Landry III opening the year on the PUP list, is 2025 undrafted free agent Elijah Ponder ready to fill the void? It might be asking too much to expect big things from second-round pick Gabe Jacas at OLB after he wasn’t around the team all spring (knee procedure) and signed a couple of days into training camp to get a late start,” Reiss wrote.
One game isn’t enough to truly determine if the Patriots were able to figure out that pass rush. One sack for Jacas isn’t enough to prove anything about how his season is going to go. For now, though, it’s an excellent start for New England.
NFL Draft Analyst Todd McShay Reacts to Patriots Rookie Gabe Jacas, First Sack