Defensive end Rashan Gary didn’t have to wait too long to become Michigan’s second first-round pick.
Gary went quickly after fellow Wolverine Devin Bush Jr. with the No. 12 pick to the Green Bay Packers
.Some had thought he might slip later in the first round due his shoulder injury and a lack of production at Michigan. However, the Packers didn’t have a problem scooping him up with their first-round pick.
ESPN’s Booger McFarland discussed the concerns with Gary on the broadcast.
“He’s a physical specimen,” McFarland said. “You want him coming off the plane first, he’s on the All-Airplane team, but the production and the athletic ability doesn’t match. I feel like when he gets to the next level, he’s a guy that’s going to need a lot of coaching — not only with technique, but how you can play, how can you use that athletic ability and turn it into playmaking? It’s one thing to be a great athlete, but can you be a great playmaker, because this is a guy that lacks production.”
At Michigan, Gary started in 21 games over the course of three seasons and racked up 135 tackles, 24 tackles for loss and 10 sacks. This past season, he had 44 tackles, seven tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks in nine starts at defensive end.
NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah noted that Gary is a freaky athlete, but didn’t have the collegiate production.
“You see all the traits, it didn’t always translate into the production,” he said on the broadcast.” That was the challenge for a team. You have to believe in your [defensive line] coach. [His] get off is elite. He can win early, you just have to find a way to finish."
Stanford head coach David Shaw was a guest on the NFL Network broadcast and he was high on Gary.
“I wrote down acceleration, acceleration, acceleration,” Shaw said. “This guy has juice. They put him on the edge, they kick him on the inside sometimes. This guy’s first step is explosive. He’s got length…This guy has a chance to be really, really good.”
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