The Green Bay Packers used the 12th overall pick on Rashan Gary out of Michigan in the 2019 NFL Draft. Gary was the fourth edge-rusher taken in the draft and was regarded as a player that could develop into a talented pass rusher in the NFL.
Throughout the draft process, there were red flags surrounding Gary's inconsistent effort on the field. Despite his questionable motor at times, he was considered to be one of the best pass rushers in last year's draft.
While the first-year pass rusher didn't show a lack of effort in 2019, there were other issues in his game. The Michigan product finished with only 21 tackles, two sacks, three tackles for loss, and three quarterback hits in his rookie campaign.
At the least, Rashan Gary was able to suit up in all 16 games for the Packers in 2019. But with him being healthy all season, you would've liked to see a bit more production from the young edge-defender.
Green Bay definitely didn't envision Rashan Gary having such a minimal impact on the field as a first-round selection. Considering his numbers, what letter grade does Gary deserve for his rookie season in 2019?
Rashan Gary's grade for the 2019 season: D
When you are taken in the first round of the NFL Draft, it's expected that you can be a difference-maker in a certain facet of the game. But for Gary, he wasn't a reliable contributor for the defense and his snaps fluctuated throughout the season.
Of course, Rashan Gary didn't see as much playing time due to the signings of Za'Darius Smith and Preston Smith last offseason. The Smith duo combined for 25.5 sacks, 28 tackles for loss, and 60 quarterback hits in 2019.
Again, Rashan Gary didn't record many stats in the box score and didn't do much to provide optimism moving forward. At the least, Gary could benefit from playing behind Za'Darius and Preston as he develops in Green Bay.
What fans of the Packers want to see in the future is the player that terrorized opposing offenses at Michigan. Sometimes certain edge-rushers need a bit more time to get acclimated to the NFL than others.
With that being said, it's obvious that Gary is going to need time to get adjusted with the Packers. The physical pass-rusher will have plenty to work on during his first full offseason with the Packers in 2020.
There's no doubt that Rashan Gary was a bit of a let-down for Green Bay in his first year in the pros. However, the former Wolverine has plenty of room for improvement and could have a strong sophomore season in the NFL next year.
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