Michigan’s defensive line is not shy about setting a high bar for itself.

A year ago assistant coach Greg Mattison and his players declared during spring ball that they had the potential to be the best line in the country in 2016. They weren’t that far off. The Wolverines’ defense statistically finished fifth in sacks, third in tackles for loss and second in points allowed.

This year, despite having to replace all four starters along the line, it was defensive coordinator Don Brown who started the spring with some bold claims about his big guys up front. Brown said he couldn’t think of a tandem that will line up next to each other anywhere in the nation that will be better than sophomore Rashan Gary and redshirt senior Maurice Hurst.

Gary agreed.

Sophomore Rashan Gary looks poised for a breakout season for the Wolverines. Photo by Scott W. Grau/Icon Sportswire

“That’s the goal,” he said. “I believe in it.”

After collecting 27 tackles (five for loss) and learning behind two soon-to-be NFL players in Chris Wormley and Taco Charlton, Gary has approached his first spring as a college football player with a professional attitude that has most of the Michigan coaching staff gushing about what he could become in the fall.

The 287-pound end ran the 40-yard dash, Michigan says, in 4.57 seconds. For comparison's sake, had he been running alongside every quarterback heading into the NFL draft at the end of this month only one of them would have finished with a faster time. That’s a positive sign for his pass-rush ability, but what has his coaches more excited is how quickly Gary has matured and started to carry himself as a veteran.

“Rashan comes out every day like he’s a senior,” Mattison said. “He’s done that throughout the winter conditioning. ... I really think it had a lot to do with Taco and Chris Wormley [and] the way they mentored him. They set a great example for what you have to do to be successful.”

Gary has consistently credited his two former teammates with showing him how to be a college player. He said he’s now trying to pass on the same lessons to the incoming freshmen and develop as one of the group’s leaders. He’ll have some help from Hurst and fellow defensive end Chase Winovich, who along with Bryan Mone make up the likely first-string defensive line.

Hurst, with 33 career games under his belt, is easily the most experienced of the group. He has developed a quick burst that allowed him to pick up 11.5 tackles for loss from his spot on the interior of the defensive line while splitting time with Matt Godin a year ago. His decision to return for a fifth season is a major boost for what will be a very young Michigan defense and creates a major headache for opposing offensive lines that will have to block both Hurst and Gary on the same side of the ball.

“Both of them have played a lot of football and are very, very explosive,” Mattison said. “It’s time for [Hurst] to really reap the benefits of all he’s done and take it the next step further. He’s showed that also this spring, so I’m excited about Mo.”

The depth that made the Wolverines’ defensive line dangerous last season will be hard to replicate in 2017. Mattison said youngsters Carlo Kemp and Donovan Jeter have shown impressive flashes this spring, but the group isn’t yet ready for an eight-man rotation with little drop-off like it was a year ago. At the top end, though, it might be hard to find a better side-by-side duo than Hurst and Gary in the Big Ten.

“I know his ability and he knows mine,” Gary said. “We both have goals. I know his. He knows mine. And we go after it every practice.”