The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/641955
2016 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE At a half-inch taller and a pound heavier— and, most notably, at least four years younger — than the av- erage NFL Combine defensive line- man, he outperformed them in two tests of pure athleticism. They edged him, on average, in the vertical jump by a tenth of an inch — he leaped a "mere" 32.1 inches. Gary was rated as the best high school defensive tackle of the Rivals. com era, which dates back to 2002 and covers 15 recruiting classes. That natural talent and his indi- vidual production on the high school level didn't always result in the best outcomes for his high school squad, however. Under head coach Chris Partridge during Gary's junior year, Paramus Catholic finished 9-2, but fell just short of a third straight state title, falling to Jersey City St. Peter's Prep in the Non-Public Group 4 championship game. With John Westervelt taking over in 2015, the Paladins struggled to a 3-6 record (albeit against a national schedule) and failed to even make the cut for the playoffs. Those outcomes cast some doubt about the impact one defensive tackle can have on a team. Gary cleared up much of that concern at the Under Armour All-America Game Jan. 2 in Orlando, Fla. He dominated the week of prac- tices, and then led Team Highlight to a 27-0 victory over Team Armour. He was named the all-star event's over- all MVP after making a game-high six tackles, including three sacks and another half tackle for loss. Surrounded with the type of talent he will play with at U-M, he can be