Illinois OLB Gabe Jacas declares for NFL Draft, opts out of Music City Bowl

Illinois linebacker Gabe Jacas on Friday declared for the NFL Draft and is opting out of the Music City Bowl against Tennessee at Nissan Stadium in Nashville. 

Jacas led the Big Ten this season with 11.0 sacks. He had 13.5 tackles for loss and 43 total tackles in 12 games this season. He finishes second in Illinois program history for career sacks, with 27.0, trailing only Simeon Rice.

Tennessee (8-4) and Illinois (8-4) are scheduled for a 5:30 p.m. Eastern Time kickoff on ESPN in the Music City Bowl on December 30.

Jacas had 74 tackles, 8.0 sacks and 13.0 tackles for loss last season, after combining for 8.0 sacks and 9.0 tackles for loss in his first two seasons at Illinois. Jacas was a three-star prospect in the 2022 recruiting class out of Fort Pierce, Fla.

Three Tennessee players have declared for 2026 NFL Draft

Tennessee so far has had cornerback Jermod McCoy, wide receiver Chris Brazzell II and linebacker Arion Carter declare for the NFL Draft, with Brazzell and Carter also opting out of the bowl game. McCoy did not play this season, after tearing his ACL during offseason training in January. 

Brazzell had a breakout senior season in his second year with the Vols, catching 62 passes for 1,017 yards and nine touchdowns.

He had 19 catches for 333 yards and two touchdowns in 2024, after transferring from Tulane. In 15 games at Tulane he caught 45 passes for 722 yards and five touchdowns.

Brazzell is ranked No. 7 at wide receiver on Mel Kiper Jr.’s NFL Draft Big Board. He’s ranked No. 34 overall on ESPN’s list of the best available prospects in the draft.

Mel Kiper ranks Jermod McCoy No. 1 at cornerback

McCoy was a star last season with 44 tackles, nine passes defended and four interceptions. He had 31 tackles and two interceptions in 12 games as a freshman at Oregon State before transferring to Tennessee. 

He was projected as a top-10 pick and the No. 1 corner off the board over the summer, before missing all of the 2025 season. McCoy this week was projected by ESPN’s Field Yates as the No. 21 pick in the NFL Draft to the Philadelphia Eagles.

McCoy is ranked No. 13 overall on Kiper’s Big Board and is ranked as the No. 1 cornerback on the board. 

Jacas was not ranked in the top 11 outside linebackers on Kiper’s Big Board, but was one of 10 players listed in the “just missed” category.