Rashan Gary
Defensive Lineman – 2016 Class
6-4, 287 pounds
Paramus, N.J. (Paramus Catholic)
Other top offers
Alabama, Clemson, Michigan, Ohio State, Ole Miss, Florida State
Status
You won’t find Gary naming Tennessee at the top of any lists at this point, but he did give Vol fans hope late in the spring when he said he plans to visit Knoxville at some point during his recruitment. And that is, in large part, thanks to Vol QB commitment Jarrett Guarantano, who is friends with Gary, and has several top New Jersey-area prospects interested in UT since he committed in April.
Ratings
247Sports: ★★★★★
ESPN.com: ★★★★★
Rivals.com: ★★★★★
Scout.com: ★★★★★
RTI average: 5-stars
How He Fits
Gary plays primarily defensive end in high school, but most project him, with his large frame, to ultimately settle as a speedy defensive tackle in college or perhaps as a 3-4 DE if he plays in that scheme. He’s an elite athlete for his size. It’s not surprising to see him ranked as a consensus top-20 player nationally by every recruiting service and as the No. 1 overall player by multiple sites as well.
He represents another dream-type scenario for UT. Adding him to the mix with the likes of Derek Barnett, Kahlil McKenzie, Kyle Phillips, Shy Tuttle and others in 2016 would give Tennessee arguably the best defensive front in the SEC in the near future. But there’s a lot of work to be done if that’s going to be a reality.
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