Michigan defensive end Rashan Gary wouldn’t talk about starting his own sports agency, even though he wore a shirt promoting Rashan Gary Sports. A representative said the player wants to put all his focus and all his energy into preparing for the NFL Combine and his Pro Day.
Scouts are all over the place on Gary, a supremely talented athlete who likely goes early in the first round despite his lack of production at Michigan. It makes Gary one of the most intriguing prospects in the draft, a high-risk, high-reward player.
“I feel like I’m the best player in the draft, defensively and offensively,” Gary said Wednesday during media day at the Michael Johnson Performance Center. “I’m the best player in the draft.
“The team [that drafts me] is going to get Rashan Gary. I’m a blue-collar worker. Every day, head down, learn the ways of the team, be the best now and be the best for that team and be the best for that state and bring back a Super Bowl wherever I go.”
Dane Brugler, the draft analyst for The Athletic, rates Gary as the third-best edge rusher behind Ohio State’s Nick Bosa and Kentucky’s Josh Allen. But Brugler adds that Gary’s “production and body of work didn’t match the hype [as] eight pass-rushers in the 2019 NFL Draft class had more sacks in 2018 than Gary had his entire career (10.5). He is the poster prospect for the ‘traits over production’ scouting motto with his freakish athletic skill and overall upside.”
Gary expects to answer any lingering questions from scouts during the pre-draft process.
“Any boxes that need to be checked off, I’ll make sure all the boxes will be checked off,” he said.
Gary was asked about his consistency raising questions for NFL teams, and said, “My goal is to be consistent. I want to be great, and I want to be great right now. Every day I step on the field and strap on that helmet, I’m pushing to be great. Nothing less.”
Gary, who injured his right shoulder before last season and missed three games with the injury, made 44 tackles, including seven for loss, with 3.5 sacks in nine games last season.