Michigan Football: Rashan Gary will make instant impact with Packers

Former Michigan football star Rashan Gary found a perfect home when he was selected by the Green Bay Packers 12th overall in the 2019 draft. Here’s why he will make an immediate impact next season in a multitude of ways.

When NFL draft experts talk about players with potential, a guy like Michigan football’s Rashan Gary is the perfect example.

The former No. 1 overall recruit back in 2016, Gary came to Michigan football with tons of hype and it’s safe to say he didn’t really live up to it. At the same time, it’s completely unfair to act like Gary wasn’t a great player for the Wolverines.

The way the draft analysts are talking, he was nothing but average and rarely heard from, when that’s obviously not true. Yes, Gary managed just 9.5 career sacks but did miss a handful of games this season and dealt with a shoulder injury, which is part of the reason why he had just 3.5 this season.

Last season, Gary played only nine games for Michigan football and for all his supposed lack of production, he made at least four tackles in six of those nine games. He also made at least one stop behind the line of scrimmage in five of those nine games and in four, had at least one sack and one tackle for loss.

As a sophomore, Gary became a full-time starter for the first time and in 13 starts, he finished with five stops or more five times, along with 12 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks. He notched a sack or tackle for loss in eight of those 13 games too and also put together a 10-tackle, two-sack and three-tackle-for-loss performance in a loss to Ohio State.

Yet, Gary’s junior season never went according to plan. He suffered a shoulder injury and it seemed that he and the coaching staff didn’t agree on when he was able to return. He also sat out the Peach Bowl, angering some Michigan football fans.

In the draft process, Gary killed it. He put up incredible numbers at the combine and outside of reports of a torn labrum, he fell only a few spots outside of the top-10 as Green Bay drafted him 12th overall.

For the Packers, the pick could be a home run. At 6-foot-4, 280 pounds, Gary is an athletic freak. Guys like that don’t normally run in the 4.5 range and if he reaches his potential as an edge rusher, who knows, he could be Julius Peppers.

A more apt comparison is probably Richard Seymour. Seymour was a solid pass rusher and outstanding at controlling the line of scrimmage. Gary can do those same things.

Run defense isn’t sexy and it’s not something fans think about in the first round of the draft, but the Packers run defense undoubtedly got better with the selection of Gary. Even if he ends up playing outside linebacker, he will be great at setting the edge — think Nick Perry.

A better fit for him would be either as a 4-3 defensive end or a five-technique. The Packers should move him around and rush him off the edge in passing situations, while also bumping him inside at times. He didn’t get to do much of that with the Wolverines.

To recap, he can set the edge and is dominant against the run. He will be a positive force in the run game and with the inventive mind of Packers defensive coordinator Mike Pettine, Green Bay can scheme Gary into one-on-one matchups, something he rarely got at Michigan and if he can learn to win those, he will be a steal. He’s also a perfect guy to run stunts with due to his size, speed and explosion.

I don’t expect Gary to go to Green Bay and start churning out double-digit sack seasons. However, he will be a more productive pass rusher in the NFL and that, coupled with his elite ability as a run defender, is why he will be an immediate contributor for the Packers next season.