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Former Michigan defensive end Rashan Gary was drafted by the Green Bay Packers with the No. 12 overall pick on Thursday night, and now a few days removed from the selection Gary has a new jersey number.
.@RashanAGary looks good in green & gold! #GoPackGo pic.twitter.com/oHGYEpVWiS
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) April 29, 2019
Gary is wearing No. 52, the number OLB Clay Matthews wore for the Pack for nearly a decade.
Today in 2009: Packers take Boston College DT B.J. Raji with ninth overall pick of '09 Draft, then trade back into Round 1 to select USC LB Clay Matthews at 26th overall. To date, this remains the last time Green Bay had two selections in the first round. pic.twitter.com/B5HwdjK8W3
— Packers History (@HistoricPackers) April 25, 2019
Gary is wearing Matthews’ old number, and will likely be asked to do what Matthews used to do. Gary is going to be getting a long look at outside linebacker, where he’ll be dropping into coverage occasionally and rushing the passer aplenty. Gary looks like he’s being groomed to be Matthews’ replacement, at OLB and as a leader on the defense as well.
Play hard like Matthews, Rashan, just don’t make egregious hits like this.