At least spiritually, the red sleeves are back in New England.
Joining the team as a second-round selection in the 2026 NFL Draft on Friday, Gabe Jacas noted in his introductory call with the local media that he would model his game after a former Patriots edge rusher: Matthew Judon. As the youngster explained, there is considerable overlap between the two in terms of play style.
“There are so many similarities to my game and his, and I can’t wait to just continue to get better and to continue to be a proceeding edge rusher,” Jacas said after he was picked 55th overall in the draft.
“That’s someone I can model my game after, someone that used to be at the Patriots. Speed-to-power guy, able to use his hands well, able to work, edge moves and power moves. And you can just tell that Joe Kim definitely had a big part in that as well. It’s funny because I talked to him, I think, last year before my senior year, and just hearing his mind and his approach to the game really helped a lot.”
Judon started his career as a fifth-round draft pick in Baltimore and made his way to New England as a free agent in 2021. He went on to earn Pro Bowl nominations in both of his healthy seasons with the club before missing most of 2023 on injured reserve and eventually getting traded to Atlanta the following offseason.
During his time as a Patriot, Judon worked extensively with then-director of skill development Joe Kim. Kim, meanwhile, left the organization following the 2024 season, and made his way to Illinois last year.
There, he started working with Jacas, who registered new career highs in sacks (11) and tackles for loss (13.5) as a senior in 2025.
“Joe Kim has been around a lot of players and a lot of teams. And one thing that he always brought to the room was just, be able to use your hand effectively, and then staying on your track line, staying close to the fight,” Jacas recalled.
“Just attacking the tackle, don’t go around them, don’t go away from them, just go, stay on your track and go right through them. So Joe Kim is my guy, and I really appreciate how he developed me into the pass rusher I am now. And I can’t thank him enough for just helping my game a lot. And it’s funny, I had a visit with the Patriots obviously and he was like, ‘Yeah, you’re a Patriot.’ And it was just so funny to hear him say that.”
Jacas is indeed a Patriot now. And if the team gets a Matthew Judon-like impact out of the 21-year-old, it can feel very good about its investment.