Every NFL Draft brings with it endless possibilities and copious amounts of optimism. In an ideal world, the Miami Dolphins would select only future Hall of Famers. History tells us that it is highly unlikely (okay fine, except for the 1974 Pittsburgh Steelers draft class, which produced four gold jackets). It's something to keep in mind when considering draft prospects.
Not every player has an otherworldly ceiling. The idea that a player who isn't an absurd athlete or unusually large is unworthy ignores the reality that, while most championship teams have a few superstars, they have a lot more rock-solid players that round out their foundation.
In naming one of his most underrated prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft, Fox Sports draft analyst Rob Rang identified the ideal prospect for the Dolphins to consider, particularly if they can snatch him up on Day 2: Illinois EDGE Gabe Jacas.
"To me, he feels like one of the safer players in this year’s draft," Rang said. "He’s not a guy who’s going to be a Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate or a future All-Pro guy, but I think he’ll be a steady starter once he walks into the NFL. And I think he’s going to be that for a long time."
Miami Dolphins GM Jon-Eric Sullivan must consider players like Gabe Jacas in his first draft
Jacas is a Florida native by way of Port St. Lucie. At 6'4" and 260 lbs, he is hardly undersized by any definition of the word. What's more, his collegiate production pops off the page. In four years with the Fighting Illini, he piled up 183 tackles, 35.5 tackles for loss, 27.0 sacks, and seven forced fumbles.
The only reason that Jacas isn't in consideration on Day 1 is that he is not considered to be an elite athlete. Nonetheless, player comparisons ranging from Matthew Judon (72.0 career sacks, 4x Pro Bowler) to DeMarcus Lawrence (67.5 career sacks, 5x Pro Bowler) indicate that this is a player worth taking.
Pro Football Focus ranks Jacas as their No. 51 prospect, a development that certainly has something to do with his stout 78.0 player grade in 2025 (129th out of 872 qualifiers). A variety of scouts who've studied Jacas came away with similar conclusions. NFL.com's Lance Zierlein, for one, concurred with Rang's assessment.
"Jacas is well-built with tremendous play strength and the ability to play as a hand-down end or a stand-up edge. He’s more rugged than explosive and twitchy. His play is more steak than sizzle with average sack production expected, but his field demeanor and play strength foreshadow a long career as an NFL starter."
I don't know about you, but an EDGE rusher described as "rugged" and "more steak than sizzle" sounds like the exact kind of guy you want on your defense.
There is no shortage of needs for the Dolphins at this juncture, though EDGE remains one of the most pressing. As things currently stand, the Dolphins only have one player (Chop Robinson) who is not on a one-year, prove-it deal at the position. Such is life with a rebuilding team.
Drafting Gabe Jacas in the second round could go a long way toward solidifying at least one spot on the depth chart for the foreseeable future. There are only a few days left until we all get to see exactly what approach Jon-Eric Sullivan deploys in his inaugural draft. Let's hope that whatever strategy it is, it's more successful than what has plagued Miami for the last 20 years.
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