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Michigan’s Rashan Gary has been one of the most polarizing draft prospect atop this year’s draft class. Projections have Gary going anywhere from the top five to towards the bottom of the first round. The discrepancy in how draftniks view and value Gary is rooted in his phenomenal athletic traits against his lack of production in college.
Well, a third factor has entered into his draft profile. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Gary is still dealing with a torn labrum that will have to be managed—or even may require surgery after the 2019 season.
#Michigan DT Rashan Gary, one of the draft’s top defensive players, has a shoulder that was flagged, sources say. It’s a labral tear from college, and most believe he can play this season, then possibly have surgery afterward. It will likely have to be managed or harnessed, tho
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 23, 2019
The shoulder injury isn’t exactly news. Gary missed three games of the 2018 season with a shoulder injury, originally reported as an AC joint issue. He was also limited in several other games with the injury.
However, this news paints a much more serious situation. We saw how much a partial labral tear affected Ezekiel Ansah during the season, and how painful it looked when Ansah fully tore his labrum near the end of the season.
Though Rapoport suggests Gary should be able to play in 2019, it’s clear this labrum issue will come up eventually, if not immediately. It’s another red flag for a top-tier player, and could be another reason teams don’t take a risk on him in the top 10 now.