Rashan Gary, the No. 1 prospect in 2016, has committed to play football for head coach Jim Harbaugh and the Michigan Wolverines. The defensive tackle took Michigan over the Clemson Tigers and many other Division I programs across the country. 

"It was very close," he said. "Those are schools that I love, and it was very hard to pick between them, but I felt like I did what was best for me."

The 6-foot-4, 287 pound senior at Paramus Catholic High School in Paramus, New Jersey was the fifth prospect of eight from New Jersey to commit to Michigan. Gary is the first top ranked player to pick a Big Ten Conference school since the ESPN 300 started in 2006. 

“I’m feeling good. A lot of stress off me, so I’m happy," Gary said. “Man, coming to the stage, I was talking to both coaches up until then. It took everything to really settle down and really, you know, go through the thought process. God sent me a signal.

"I picked Michigan because, you know, that’s a place where I felt comfortable. That’s a place where my family felt comfortable. That’s a place where I felt the academic support is great and the degree holds a lot of weight. ... It’s going to help me for a lifetime goal, and that’s to make sure I provide for my family."

Gary will join a Michigan defense that is very strong. The defense averaged just 1.44 rushing yards before contact in the 2015 season, which was the fourth fewest in the Power Five.

Chris Partridge coached Gary for a season before Partridge left Paramus Catholic High School to become the player personnel director for Michigan, which allowed the connection between the two parties to be even stronger. 

“Of course my (former) head coach, I’ve got a great relationship with him, Jabrill, Juwann, guys that I know so that if I go there, there could be guys that I could lean to, things like that,” Gary said. “I guess you could say the family environment.”

The soon to be college freshman will be able to line up in any spot along the front four and dominate at the college level. Gary is an inside guy that can play outside and he can do that because of the great first step, quick hands and fashionable pass rush moves. He can convert speed to power and is exceptionally talented with his punch off the snap. Gary has the talent to be an immediate starter for the Maize and Blue. 

"I've been there three times [to visit] and the rest of the schools I've only been there two times," he said. "I'm happy, my mom is happy and my family is happy."

Will Gary live up to his expectations in Ann Arbor, Michigan? Only time will tell for the No. 1 prospect in the class of 2016.