After going offensive line in the first round Thursday night with tackle Caleb Lomu, New England shifted its sights to the defensive front in the second round Friday night.
For the second night in a row, the Patriots traded up to get their guy, sending picks 63, 131 and 202 to the Los Angeles Chargers to move up eight spots to pick 55, where they drafted Illinois edge defender Gabe Jacas.
Jacas addresses a clear need for the Patriots, who were thin on pass rushers. Jacas was a team captain at Illinois and was named to the All-Big Ten Second Team this past season. He led Illinois with 13.5 tackles for loss and ranked seventh in the nation with 11 sacks.
Jacas, who measures in at 6-foot-4, 260 pounds, is considered a powerful pass rusher who relies on his strength and relentless motor to get to quarterbacks. He is not the most athletic edge defender, and will have work to do when it comes to defending the run.
Jacas, who was also a Florida state champion wrestler in high school, was widely ranked as a mid-to-late second-round pick, so taking him at 55 seems like solid value for the Patriots. NFL.com's pro comparison for Jacas is former Patriot Matthew Judon.
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In the third round, the Patriots went back to offense, taking Notre Dame tight end Eli Raridon 95th overall.
As with Jacas, Raridon helps address an obvious position of need after the departure of Austin Hooper this offseason. The Patriots brought in blocking tight end Julian Hill to play behind Hunter Henry, but were in search of another contributor at the position.
Raridon could ultimately end up as a blocking tight end himself, as that is a strength of his. But he also showed some receiving upside as a senior this past season, with 32 catches for 482 yards. His 15.1 yards per reception reflect some big-play potential as a downfield threat. If Raridon reaches his ceiling, he could become an every-down player in the NFL.
Interestingly, despite his 6-foot-6, 245-pound frame, Raridon was not a red-zone threat at Notre Dame. He had zero touchdowns in 12 games this past season, and just three throughout his entire college career. Considered a good contested-catch receiver, there would seem to be more potential in the red zone than what Raridon showed in college.
Raridon's college career got off to a tough start, as he tore the ACL in his right knee twice – once as a high school senior in 2021 and again as a freshman at Notre Dame in 2022. The second tear cost him the start of his sophomore year as well, limiting him to 12 games total in his first two college seasons.
