Rashan Gary Was the 3rd Player Ever to Be a Unanimous #1 Rated High School Recruit
Green Bay Packers defensive end Rashan Gary is one of the highest-paid players at his position in the NFL. Despite no Pro Bowl or All-Pro nods, the Packers realize that he is full of potential and can change the outcome of any given game with his ability to get after opposing quarterbacks.
Many people forget that there were many experts who believed Gary had the potential to be one of the best players at his position. Gary played high school football at Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School and Paramus Catholic High School. Playing at the latter school in his junior and senior seasons, the young pass rusher caught the eye of scouts from all over the country.
As a senior, Gary recorded 13.5 sacks, 55 tackles, 29 tackles for loss, and blocked a punt that he returned for a touchdown. He was named the number one overall recruit in the country by ESPN, 24/7 Sports, Rivals, and Scout. Only Jadaveon Clowny and Robert Nkemdiche had previously been named the country’s number one recruit by all four publications.
Following a whirlwind recruiting tour, Gary committed to the University of Michigan. As a freshman, he played all 13 games , tallying 23 tackles, five tackles for loss, and a sack.
2017, Gary’s sophomore year, saw him put together the best season of his college career. He had a career-high in several key defensive categories, including tackles (58), tackles for loss (11.5), and sacks (5.5). Conference coaches named him to the All-Big Ten defensive team, and the Associated Press named to the All-Big Ten second team.
In 2018, Gary was plagued by a shoulder injury that limited his production on the field. He was still able to record 38 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks. After the season, Gary decided to forego his senior season and declared for the 2019 NFL Draft. Rashan Gary Has Become a Star for the Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers selected Rashan Gary with the 12th overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. The same offseason saw the Packers sign free agents Preston Smith and Za’Darius Smith, who play the same position as Gary.
Learning from two of the best pass rushers in the game meant that Gary’s snaps were limited as a rookie. Still, he was able to record 21 tackles, three tackles for loss, and 2.0 sacks despite playing just 24% of the defensive snaps.
In 2020, Gary’s playing time increased along with his production. Playing 48% of defensive snaps, he logged 35 tackles, 5.0 sacks, and five tackles for loss.
But the best was yet to come.
2021 saw Gary get an increased role with the season-long injury to Za’Darius Smith. Playing in and starting all 16 games, Gary had a career-high 9.5 sacks, 4 tackles, and 11 tackles for loss.
He picked up right where he left off in 2022 and had 6.0 sacks through nine games. Unfortunately, his season ended early with a torn ACL.
Gary worked hard to rehab his injury and was able to get back on the field in time for the 2023 regular season. Packers coaches brought him along slowly, limiting the number of snaps he played in each game early on. However, he eventually was allowed to carry his usual workload and ended up with 44 tackles, 9.0 sacks, and seven tackles for loss.
