The 2019 NFL draft is still quite a way away, but with that time comes a lot of coverage – just during Interior Defensive Line Week we’ve had Big Boards, a position analysis and the fifth episode of our weekly podcast series detailing each position of need for the Panthers and who’s available in the draft – as became very clear very quickly during last year’s draft, projecting who might go where is hard enough the day before the draft, let alone two months before, but one player who has been linked with the Panthers on occasion is Michigan’s Rashan Gary. It is still unclear which position Gary will play in the NFL, but as with Jerry Tillery, if the Panthers do move to a more hybrid defense, there should be a way to get him on the field. However, what does Gary actually offer a prospective team, and would that make sense for the Panthers in the first round?
The Hook
When you are 6-5, a shade under 290 pounds and move like this:
You’re going to get some draft attention – it was this same athletic potential that made Gary the top recruiting prospect in his class. However, as promising as Gary’s athleticism is, the list of hugely-athletic NFL draft busts is hardly a short one, and in order to be an impact player in the NFL, Gary’s game needs to be more than just his athletic talent. So, is it?
The Run Game
Of course, as long as his athleticism isn’t being significantly hindered by poor technique, Gary will always be able to use his speed and power to make an impact. This is especially true as a run defender, for as long as he is able to stay low, he is going to be able to make impact plays:
He also showed the ability to use his hands well to keep blockers away from his frame:
Which then, in turn, makes it easier for him to disengage from the block:
Not only that, he also flashes the ability to use his hands effectively to work into blocks as a penetrator against the run:
However, as with Tillery, his length does create issues for him as a run defender – he struggled at times to keep his pad level down, thereby raising his center-of-mass, making it easier for blockers to drive him backward and exposed more of his frame, making it easier for blocker to get inside hand position, making it harder for him to break free:
Gary has the potential to be an impactful run defender, but as with many other longer defensive linemen, he is unlikely to thrive if asked to defend the run as an interior lineman in a 4-3 defense. Instead, teams should look to maximize his quickness and strength as a gap penetrator, something typically associated with 3-4 defensive ends.
Up Next: Pass Rush
