"One of my favorite NFL comps in this year's draft is Gabe Jacas (Illinois) and Trey Hendrickson. Like Hendrickson (pk 39, RD3), Jacas won't be a RD1 pk because he lacks the athletic profile. But both are excellent with their hands, have strong wrestling backgrounds and play with relentless motors and toughness. Jacas will be one of the steals from the '26 class."
"Long before Trey Hendrickson became a four-time Pro Bowler who recorded 13+ sacks in four seasons and earned first-team All-Pro honors, he was a third-round pick by the New Orleans Saints in the 2017 NFL Draft who played collegiately at Florida Atlantic. Hendrickson, who didn't come off the board until pick No. 103, outperformed his draft status while with the Saints and turned in a mostly stellar five-year stint with the Cincinnati Bengals."
Gabe Jacas, a defensive lineman from Illinois, is emerging as a prospect to monitor for the 2026 NFL Draft. NFL Draft analyst Todd McShay compares Jacas to Trey Hendrickson, a four-time Pro Bowler who was selected in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft. Both players share similar traits: excellent hand usage, strong wrestling backgrounds, relentless motors, and toughness. While neither possesses elite athletic profiles for first-round consideration, both demonstrate the ability to outperform their draft position. Hendrickson's career trajectory from third-round pick to All-Pro honors illustrates the potential path available to Jacas, suggesting he could become a significant value pick in the 2026 draft class.
Read at Bleacher Nation
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