Rashan Gary, defensive end, Michigan
We covered Gary in our recent look at the players ready to break out as stars in 2017. He’s a sophomore defensive lineman who was buried as a freshman on Jim Harbaugh’s depth chart last year while Taco Charlton, Chris Wormley and Maurice Hurst Jr. (21.5 sacks between them) dominated the action up front.
Even still, he managed to show flashes of his potential, tallying 23 tackles, five for a loss and a half a sack. Now that all three of them are gone, Gary has a chance to prove he really was worth all the hype as the nation’s top recruit last year.
Blessed with tremendous size (6-foot-5, 287 pounds), quickness and strength, it’s now up to Gary to put it all together as a cornerstone defender on Michigan’s front seven. Because of his unique blend of size and athleticism, Gary will play all over the line for Harbaugh’s Wolverines.
We expect big things from him in Year 2.