2016 DL Rashan Gary. (Art by Brandon Whitaker)

New Michigan Man: DL Rashan Gary

Posted onAuthorGarrett Fishaw

After a long and brutal recruitment, Jim Harbaugh and the Wolverines have landed the biggest fish in the 2016 pond as the #1 overall player in the nation, Paramus Catholic (NJ) DL Rashan Gary, has committed to Michigan.

Being the unanimous #1 recruit on every top recruiting site has never been done before but Gary did just that in the 2016 cycle. On top of that, he’s raked in several awards along his high school career, including The American Family Insurance All-USA Defensive Player of the Year and the Under Armour All-American Game MVP. And those accolades were well deserved.

Gary has been referred to by multiple recruiting analysts as the best defensive lineman prospect they’ve ever seen and a guy that could come in from day one and be a star. When you look at his tape and his performance in the Under Armour game, you can see what the analysts and scouts were talking about. His elite mix of size, power, athleticism, drive and instincts are unmatched in this class and something I haven’t seen out of a high school player since I started covering Michigan recruiting.

As a Wolverine, as long as he learns a couple go-to moves and takes to the coaching, he should see the field from day one and could possibly be starting during his freshmen year. After that, the sky is the limit.

As for his recruitment, like every #1 overall player, things were pretty crazy and stressful for both Gary and the fans. That was thanks to Michigan looking like the favorite to land him since August of 2014 but no decision being made. After several teams made a run at him, including Alabama, Auburn and Ole Miss, Gary made his final decision on National Signing Day. That’s where he chose Michigan over Clemson.

  • Height: 6’4”
  • Weight: 290lbs
  • Hometown/School: Paramus, NJ (Paramus Catholic)
  • Notable Offers: Alabama, Clemson, USC, Florida, Ohio State, LSU, Auburn
  • Rankings: Scout (5*, #1 overall) – Rivals (5*, #1 overall) – 247 (5*, #1 overall) – ESPN (5*, #1 overall)


As for the Rest of the Class: Gary is the 28th commitment in the class and 3rd defensive tackle. He’s also the 6th commitment out of New Jersey. With him on the board, the staff can just call this thing a win but they’ll also be watching closely on TE Devin Asiasi’s decision.

Garrett Fishaw
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