Detroit Lions 2019 draft profile: Edge Rusher Rashan Gary

As the draft gets closer and closer, we’ll be previewing players who may be Detroit Lions in the near future. Today, we look at Michigan’s Rashan Gary

When looking at needs for the Detroit Lions in the upcoming NFL draft, there are most definitely a lot of areas that need addressing. Being that the Lions are unlikely to re-sign former Pro Bowl defensive end Ezekiel Ansah, they could use an explosive defensive linemen who can hold the edge of the line, draw double teams, and appear in the nightmares of NFC North quarterbacks.

This is where former Michigan defensive linemen Rashan Gary could be a helpful piece to add to this young defense. A familiar face to most Detroit fans, the good size and pro-level speed of Gary could fit well with the run-stuffing abilities of defensive tackles A’Shawn Robinson and Damon “Snacks” Harrison.

Even though the numbers that Gary put up at Michigan weren’t super spectacular (119 total tackles, 23 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks over three years as a Wolverine), it has to be remembered that Gary was often facing double teams, or even triple teams, in most of the big games that Michigan played in these past few years.

Any player who can draw that much attention from an offensive line is important to have on the Lions, as it not only proves how talented he is, but it also opens up other defensive linemen on the roster to face more formidable one-on-one matchups, wreaking havoc on the quarterback’s pocket and leaving the passer very little room to breath.

Perhaps because of his familiar face to football fans in the state of Michigan, Gary has been a recent favorite pick when it comes to mock drafts, particularly from USA Today’s Nate Davis, Pro Football Focus’ Michael Renner, and The Ringer’s Danny Kelly. The ladder of those mocks praised Gary tremendously, as Kelly loves Gary’s athletic ability and thinks he can make an NFL impact right away.

"“The Lions need to add some oomph to their pass-rushing front, and Gary could be just the type of versatile, über-athletic lineman that head coach Matt Patricia is looking for. The former Wolverine combines an explosive first step with plenty of power, and has the size to play all over the Detroit front. He’ll need to add some moves to his pass rush repertoire and refine his technique, but Gary has all the athletic traits to become a disruptive front line presence.”"

One of the main critiques of Gary’s game at the moment is that while he is clearly athletic enough to play in the NFL, the 280-pounder is rather raw and could use some help with his footwork and pass-rush moves to succeed long-term once his speed deteriorates.

This wouldn’t be the first time the Lions spent a first round pick on a raw defensive lineman with great athletic ability. In fact, they did that in 2013 when drafting Ansah, who has made his presence felt on the Lions’ defensive line despite being injured for nearly half of his NFL career.

If the Lions were to draft Gary, he could be a key cog in Patricia’s defensive scheme, as a speedy, bulldozing pass rusher to go alongside Robinson and Harrison could help the Lions stop a fast running back who breaks off the edge, as well as contain the pocket and a keep a mobile quarterback like Aaron Rodgers from scrambling.

The best-case scenario for Gary is that he can be the next Ansah, with a slightly better injury history on a rookie contract which is much more generous towards the team’s cap. Being that a lot of Motor City fans also watch the Wolverines on Saturdays, Gary could not only impact the defense right away, but may be a popular player amongst Lions fans.