Illinois State’s high-motor edge setter with proven pass-rush juice
Gaines was a productive senior for Illinois State in the 2024 season, starting all 14 games and showing real disruption with 50 tackles, 5.0 sacks, and a forced fumble[1][3]. At 6'4" and 245 pounds, he brings length, effort, and scheme flexibility—he’s been used as both a defensive lineman and an outside-linebacker type, which is a nice bonus for teams that like movable pieces up front[1][6]. The quiet part? He looks like a reliable, high-intensity front-seven fit rather than a one-note stat collector, and that’s the kind of player coaches usually trust in big snaps[12][14].
