Wolverines in the NFL: 'Menace' Rashan Gary making an early case for Defensive Player of the Year honors
Former Michigan Wolverines football defensive end Rashan Gary had a monster game in the Green Bay Packers’ 27-24 overtime win over the New England Patriots. Gary registered 7 tackles (3 solo) with 2 sacks, including 1 strip sack and fumble recovery, and 2 other quarterback hits.
Gary has established himself as one of the top edge defenders in the NFL. He’s tied for third in the league with 5 sacks, and his 16 pressures rank tied for 10th.
“Rashan, the one thing you know you’re going to get every time he lines up out there is, he’s going to go 100 miles an hour,” Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said of the former Michigan EDGE. “He’s been pretty disruptive. He was, obviously, our player of the game this past game. He made some key, key plays for us.”
It’s still early in the season, only four weeks in, but Gary is beginning to receive some attention as a candidate for the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year award. According to SportsBettingDime.com, Gary has the third-best odds to take home the hardware (+1000), behind Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons and Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett.
“Packers outside linebacker Rashan Gary has as legitimate a case as any player through four weeks of the season for Defensive Player of the Year,” Fox Sports’ Carmen Vitali wrote of the former Michigan standout. “He is an absolute menace to opposing quarterbacks and now has at least one sack in every game this season. He had two against the Patriots on Sunday. His average separation from the quarterback at the time of throw or sack is an average of just 3.55 yards. The league average is 4.53, according to Next Gen Stats.”
Here’s a look at how every former Michigan player in the NFL performed in Week 4:
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Tom Brady (Played at Michigan from 1995-99), QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Completed 39 of his 52 pass attempts for 385 yards and 3 touchdowns with no interceptions in the 2-2 Buccaneers’ 41-31 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs … Connected on 106 of his 155 passes for 1,058 yards and 6 touchdowns with 1 interception on the season.
Ben Bredeson (2016-19), OL, New York Giants
Started and played every offensive snap in the 3-1 Giants’ 20-12 win over the Chicago Bears … Posted a 58.7 overall Pro Football Focus (PFF) grade and allowed 1 pressure and no sacks … Opened all four games this year.
Devin Bush Jr. (2016-18), LB, Pittsburgh Steelers
Opened the 1-3 Steelers’ 24-20 loss to the New York Jets and registered 6 tackles and 1 quarterback hit … Has 26 stops and 1 hit on the quarterback in four starts this season.
Camaron Cheeseman (2016-19), LS, Washington Commanders
Snapped eight times in the 1-3 Commanders’ 25-10 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
Frank Clark (2011-14), DE, Kansas City Chiefs
Started and posted 1 tackle in the 3-1 Chiefs’ 41-31 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers … Added 1 pressure … Tallied 7 tackles, 1 sack, 1 tackle for loss and 2 quarterback hits in four starts.
Mason Cole (2014-17), OL, Pittsburgh Steelers
Started at center and played every offensive snap in the 1-3 Steelers’ 24-20 loss to the New York Jets … His 84.0 PFF pass-blocking grade led the team … Opened all four games for the Steelers this year.
Nico Collins (2017-19), WR, Houston Texans
Started for the second time this season and hauled in 3 receptions for a career-high 82 yards in the 0-3-1 Texans’ 34-24 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers … Totaled 11 receptions for 207 yards in four games.
Mike Danna (2019), DE, Kansas City Chiefs
Missed the last two outings with a calf injury … Registered 2 tackles and 1 quarterback hit in two appearances this season.
Chris Evans (2016-20), RB, Cincinnati Bengals
Saw 3 offensive snaps and 15 special teams plays in the 2-2 Bengals’ 27-15 win over the Miami Dolphins Thursday night … Appeared in all four games to this point, notching 1 catch for 4 yards.
Rashan Gary (2016-18), LB, Green Bay Packers
Tied for second on the team with 7 tackles and had 2 of the 3-1 Packers’ 4 sacks in a 27-24 overtime victory over the New England Patriots … Had a strip sack as the Patriots were driving with just under a minute to go in the second quarter … His 93.4 overall PFF grade was the fifth-highest among all defensive players in the league in Week 4 … He posted a team-high 5 pressures … His 22.4 pressure rate ranks third in the NFL among edge rushers, per PFF … Accumulated 19 tackles, 5 for loss, 5 sacks, 6 quarterback hits, 1 forced fumble and 1 fumble recovery this season.
Zach Gentry (2015-18), TE, Pittsburgh Steelers
Caught 1 pass for 2 yards in the 1-3 Steelers’ 24-20 loss to the New York Jets … Has 2 receptions for 42 yards on the season, having started two of four games.
Graham Glasgow (2011-15), OL, Denver Broncos
Started at right guard and was in on every offensive snap in the 2-2 Broncos’ 32-23 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders … His 75.3 overall PFF grade ranked third on the Broncos’ offense … Opened the last three contests after coming off the bench in Week 1.
Brandon Graham (2006-09), DE, Philadelphia Eagles
Posted 3 tackles in the 4-0 Eagles’ 29-21 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars … Philadelphia is the only remaining undefeated team in the NFL … For the season, totaled 12 tackles, 3 sacks, 2 stops for loss, 1 forced fumble and 6 quarterback hits.
Hassan Haskins (2018-21), RB, Tennessee Titans
Didn’t play on offense but returned 4 kicks for 105 yards (26.6 yards per attempt) in the 2-2 Titans’ 24-17 win over the Indianapolis Colts … Rushed 9 times for 37 yards and caught 1 pass for no yards in four appearances this season.
Chad Henne (2004-07), QB, Kansas City Chiefs
Hasn’t played since Week 1, when he was in on five offensive snaps.
Dax Hill (2019-21), S, Cincinnati Bengals
Saw one defensive snap and 14 special teams plays in the 2-2 Bengals’ 27-15 win over the Miami Dolphins Thursday evening … Has not registered any statistics in four appearances with one start.
Aidan Hutchinson (2018-21), DL, Detroit Lions
Opened the 1-3 Lions’ 48-45 loss to the Seattle Seahawks and posted 5 tackles and 2 quarterback hits … Led the team with 3 pressures for the game and has a team-best 14 pressures for the season … Started all four games, having recorded 12 tackles, 3 sacks, 2 stops for loss and 6 quarterback hits.
Jourdan Lewis (2013-16), CB, Dallas Cowboys
Suffered a pregame groin injury and did not play in the Cowboys’ 25-10 win over the Washington Commanders … Played in the first three contests with two starts, totaling 16 tackles.
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David Long Jr. (2016-18), CB, Los Angeles Rams
Did not play for the second straight week (groin) … Appeared in the first two contests, notching 7 tackles.
Sean McKeon (2016-19), TE, Dallas Cowboys
Did not see game action in the Cowboys’ 25-10 victory over the Washington Commanders … Made one appearance this season but hasn’t recorded any statistics.
Josh Metellus (2016-19), S, Minnesota Vikings
Played off the bench on defense and 24 special teams snaps to make 2 tackles in the 3-1 Vikings’ 28-25 win over the New Orleans Saints in at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London … Started one of four outings and recorded 17 tackles and 2 pass breakups this season.
Bryan Mone (2014-18), DT, Seattle Seahawks
Made 2 tackles off the bench in the 2-2 Seahawks’ 48-45 win over the Detroit Lions … Has 8 stops this season.
Michael Onwenu (2016-19), OL, New England Patriots
The former Michigan offensive lineman started at right guard in the 1-3 Patriots’ 27-24 overtime setback to the Green Bay Packers … His 87.0 PFF pass-protection rating ranked first on the team, and his 76.6 overall grade slotted fifth … His 76.2 overall grade for the season ranks ninth among NFL guards, and his 86.0 pass-blocking grade is second among the same group … He’s started all four outings for the Patriots.
Kwity Paye (2017-19), DE, Indianapolis Colts
Started and notched 3 tackles, 1 sack, 1 stop for loss and 2 quarterback hits in the 1-2-1 Colts’ 24-17 loss to the Tennessee Titans … Has 16 tackles, including 5 for loss and 3 sacks, and 4 quarterback hits this season … His 12 pressures lead the team.
Donovan Peoples-Jones (2017-19), WR, Cleveland Browns
The former Michigan wideout started for a fourth consecutive week and hauled in 5 grabs for 71 yards and returned 2 punts for 7 yards in the 2-2 Browns’ 23-20 loss to the Atlanta Falcons … Has 12 catches for 141 yards this season.
Jabrill Peppers (2014-16), S, New England Patriots
Came off the bench and made 2 tackles in the 1-3 Patriots’ 27-24 overtime loss to the Green Bay Packers … For the season, racked up 12 tackles and 1 fumble recovery in four games with one start.
Cesar Ruiz (2017-19), OL, New Orleans Saints
Started at right guard and played every offensive snap in the 1-3 Saints’ 25-28 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in London … His 87.9 PFF pass-blocking grade led the team … Opened all four clashes this season.
Jon Runyan (2015-19), OL, Green Bay Packers
The former Michigan offensive lineman has started at left guard in all four of the 3-1 Packers’ games, including a 27-24 overtime victory over the New England Patriots this past weekend … Helped the Packers average 5.7 yards per carry … His 88.3 PFF pass-protection rating led the team.
Ambry Thomas (2017-19), CB, San Francisco 49ers
Played nine special teams snaps in the 2-2 49ers’ 24-9 win over the Los Angeles Rams Monday night … Came off the bench in all four outings this season and totaled 2 tackles.
Josh Uche (2016-19), LB, New England Patriots
Made 1 tackle in the 1-3 Patriots’ 27-24 overtime loss to the Green Bay Packers … Totaled 2 tackles in four games this season.
Chris Wormley (2012-16), DE, Pittsburgh Steelers
The former Michigan defensive lineman made 4 tackles, including 1 behind the line of scrimmage, in the 1-3 Steelers’ 24-20 loss to the New York Jets … Racked up 14 stops, including 2 tackles for loss, in four games as a backup this season.
Injured reserve
The following are Michigan football players who are currently on teams but listed as on the injured reserve:
• Titans OL Taylor Lewan
• Patriots K Quinn Nordin
• Patriots OL Andrew Stueber
• Cowboys TE Ian Bunting
• Ravens OLB David Ojabo
• Ravens LB Josh Ross
• Falcons OL Jalen Mayfield
• Browns DE Chase Winovich
Practice squad
The following are former Michigan players on NFL practice squads:
• WR Daylen Baldwin — Browns
• DE Taco Charlton — Saints
• CB Vincent Gray — Sainrts
• DB Brad Hawkins — Patriots
• LB Khaleke Hudson — Commanders
• LB Carlo Kemp — Chargers
• LB Cameron McGrone — Patriots
