Fansided

20 college football players who should be highly paid in 2017

By Nathaniel Reeves

PASADENA, CA - JANUARY 02: Quarterback Sam Darnold No. 14 of the USC Trojans looks to pass the ball against the Penn State Nittany Lions during the 2017 Rose Bowl Game presented by Northwestern Mutual at the Rose Bowl on January 2, 2017 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
PASADENA, CA - JANUARY 02: Quarterback Sam Darnold No. 14 of the USC Trojans looks to pass the ball against the Penn State Nittany Lions during the 2017 Rose Bowl Game presented by Northwestern Mutual at the Rose Bowl on January 2, 2017 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 20
Next
DETROIT, MI – SEPTEMBER 10: Defensive end Rashan Gary #3 of the Michigan Wolverines gets set for the snap during a college football game against the UCF Knights at Michigan Stadium on September 10, 2016 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The Wolverines defeated the UCF Knights 51-14. (Photo by Dave Reginek/Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI – SEPTEMBER 10: Defensive end Rashan Gary #3 of the Michigan Wolverines gets set for the snap during a college football game against the UCF Knights at Michigan Stadium on September 10, 2016 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The Wolverines defeated the UCF Knights 51-14. (Photo by Dave Reginek/Getty Images) /

18. Rashan Gary, DT, Michigan 

A team signing Gary would be betting on potential more than anything, but his upside is too great to ignore.

Gary committed to Michigan as a consensus five-star prospect and the No. 1 overall recruit in the class of 2016. As the Wolverines featured a star-studded defense filled with upperclassmen, Gary was used as a rotational player throughout his freshman season and did not start a single game.

It wasn’t difficult to see why Gary was such a highly coveted talent even in brief flashes, as he recorded 23 tackles, including five for loss, and half a sack in limited action. Much of Michigan’s defense departed for the NFL this offseason, suddenly making Gary a leader of the unit despite being a sophomore with zero career starts under his belt.

At 6-foot-5, 287 pounds with plus strength, good quickness of the snap and a 40-yard dash mark of 4.57 seconds, Gary has unlimited potential as both a pass rusher and run defender. While superior physical traits don’t always turn into results on the field, any team would be willing to bet on the upside.

Gary’s skill set is in high demand right now and Michigan is pinning a lot on his shoulders in 2017. The Wolverines could value that at upwards of $8 million for 2017, just slightly higher than the annual value for No. 1 overall pick Myles Garrett — a defensive end who entered college with similar hype.

Home/College Football