← 1981 DRAFT PLAYER PROFILE R2 · #29 OVERALL · DB

Russell Gary

Drafted by NO · GM Ken Meyer/staff · Nebraska

All NFL teams

Full-career context

These totals follow Russell Gary across every NFL team. Draft credit is separated below for each team that selected him.

Games played80
Games started58
Weighted career AV29
Pro Bowls0
AP1 All-Pro0
Career seasons7

Accountability by draft event

What each drafting team received

1981 · Round 2 · #29

NO draft credit

GM Ken Meyer/staff

Team games62
Team starts58
On-team AV30
On-team PB / AP10 / 0
Good+0.47 contribution11th of 35 picks for this GM

Games: direct team-season record. Starts: direct team-season record.

A Good pick

Russell Gary was Ken Meyer/staff's 11th-best of 35 picks across his career.

His retained-value contribution score (opportunity plus quality plus recognition, with related outcomes collapsed inside each bucket) is +0.47. This is a per-pick accountability metric, separate from Ken Meyer/staff's leaderboard composite θ.

The walkthrough below shows which bucket carried the pick: playing time, value quality, or league honors.

Opportunity
Did he earn the field?
Games played
62
on drafting team · 80 full-career
Games started
58
on drafting team
Snap-z
0.0
0 modeled seasons
Quality
Was that time valuable?
On-team AV
30
modeled; full weighted AV 29
AV / 1k snaps
snap-era only
AV-rate z
position-year adjusted quality
Recognition
Did the league notice?
Pro Bowls
0
all on drafting team
AP1 All-Pro
0 AP1
all on drafting team · AP2 context 0
All-Decade
0
context only

Did this pick move Ken Meyer/staff's grade?

The first chart removes the time axis: every Ken Meyer/staff pick is sorted by retained contribution across opportunity, quality, and recognition. Russell Gary totals +0.47. The second chart breaks that same contribution into the seasons when the evidence arrived. Opportunity and quality can move separately, which keeps high-snap, low-AV profiles from looking cleaner than they are.

Aggregate contribution by player

-4-20+2+4+651. Jackson#51 · Rickey Jackson · aggregate +6.88Jackson +6.997. Hilgenberg#97 · Joel Hilgenberg · aggregate +3.15Hilgenberg +3.1144. Poe#144 · Johnnie Poe · aggregate +3.14Poe +3.171. Brenner#71 · Hoby Brenner · aggregate +1.86114. Elliott#114 · Tony Elliott · aggregate +1.7830. Edelman#30 · Brad Edelman · aggregate +1.72166. Redd#166 · Glen Redd · aggregate +0.9541. Waymer#41 · Dave Waymer · aggregate +0.8738. Korte#38 · Steve Korte · aggregate +0.8266. Goodlow#66 · Eugene Goodlow · aggregate +0.6929. Gary#29 · Russell Gary · aggregate +0.47Gary +0.51. Rogers#1 · George Rogers · aggregate +0.3465. Tice#65 · John Tice · aggregate -0.0857. Warren#57 · Frank Warren · aggregate -0.10112. Oubre#112 · Louis Oubre · aggregate -0.14156. Thorp#156 · Don Thorp · aggregate -0.31123. Fields#123 · Jitter Fields · aggregate -0.3368. Duckett#68 · Kenny Duckett · aggregate -0.3569. Anthony#69 · Tyrone Anthony · aggregate -0.41167. Williams#167 · Kevin Williams · aggregate -0.50177. Morucci#177 · Mike Morucci · aggregate -0.5258. Lewis#58 · Rodney Lewis · aggregate -0.55142. Lewis#142 · Marvin Lewis · aggregate -0.56139. Hudson#139 · Nat Hudson · aggregate -0.5898. Lewis#98 · Gary Lewis · aggregate -0.62150. Boyd#150 · Lester Boyd · aggregate -0.7776. Krimm#76 · John Krimm · aggregate -0.7713. Scott#13 · Lindsay Scott · aggregate -0.7996. Jolly#96 · Mike Jolly · aggregate -0.8466. Austin#66 · Cliff Austin · aggregate -0.90128. Boyarsky#128 · Jerry Boyarsky · aggregate -1.8242. Geathers#42 · Jumpy Geathers · aggregate -3.32Geathers -3.368. Hoage#68 · Terry Hoage · aggregate -4.31Hoage -4.386. Andersen#86 · Morten Andersen · aggregate -4.57Andersen -4.612. Brock#12 · Stan Brock · aggregate -5.82Brock -5.8

Incremental contribution by season

-18-16-14-12-10-8-6-4-20+2+4+61980 · Mike Morucci · incremental -0.851980 · Dave Waymer · incremental -1.081980 · Lester Boyd · incremental -1.261980 · Mike Jolly · incremental -1.421980 · Stan Brock · incremental -14.581981 · Stan Brock · incremental +0.241981 · Dave Waymer · incremental +0.311981 · Glen Redd · incremental +0.511981 · Johnnie Poe · incremental +0.661981 · George Rogers · incremental +1.711981 · Louis Oubre · incremental -0.131981 · Russell Gary · incremental -0.151981 · Hoby Brenner · incremental -0.571981 · Kevin Williams · incremental -0.841981 · Nat Hudson · incremental -0.901981 · Rickey Jackson · incremental -1.671981 · Frank Warren · incremental -2.151981 · Jerry Boyarsky · incremental -2.881982 · Brad Edelman · incremental +0.071982 · Tony Elliott · incremental +0.081982 · Frank Warren · incremental +0.091982 · Stan Brock · incremental +0.141982 · Hoby Brenner · incremental +0.181982 · Russell Gary · incremental +0.211982 · Dave Waymer · incremental +0.251982 · George Rogers · incremental +0.421982 · Rickey Jackson · incremental +0.441982 · Johnnie Poe · incremental +0.591982 · Louis Oubre · incremental -0.041982 · Eugene Goodlow · incremental -0.071982 · Kenny Duckett · incremental -0.131982 · Rodney Lewis · incremental -0.231982 · Lindsay Scott · incremental -0.531982 · Marvin Lewis · incremental -0.921982 · John Krimm · incremental -1.251982 · Morten Andersen · incremental -4.921983 · Frank Warren · incremental +0.161983 · Tony Elliott · incremental +0.171983 · Glen Redd · incremental +0.211983 · Russell Gary · incremental +0.221983 · Stan Brock · incremental +0.241983 · Eugene Goodlow · incremental +0.341983 · Hoby Brenner · incremental +0.371983 · Dave Waymer · incremental +0.371983 · Brad Edelman · incremental +0.391983 · Johnnie Poe · incremental +0.911983 · Rickey Jackson · incremental +1.331983 · Louis Oubre · incremental -0.071983 · Steve Korte · incremental -0.131983 · Lindsay Scott · incremental -0.271983 · George Rogers · incremental -0.341983 · Morten Andersen · incremental -0.401983 · Kenny Duckett · incremental -0.461983 · Rodney Lewis · incremental -0.511983 · John Tice · incremental -0.531983 · Gary Lewis · incremental -1.021983 · Cliff Austin · incremental -1.381984 · Kenny Duckett · incremental +0.011984 · John Tice · incremental +0.101984 · Tony Elliott · incremental +0.131984 · Frank Warren · incremental +0.151984 · Eugene Goodlow · incremental +0.211984 · Stan Brock · incremental +0.211984 · Glen Redd · incremental +0.231984 · Russell Gary · incremental +0.241984 · Brad Edelman · incremental +0.271984 · Steve Korte · incremental +0.341984 · Dave Waymer · incremental +0.341984 · Hoby Brenner · incremental +0.371984 · Johnnie Poe · incremental +0.781984 · Rickey Jackson · incremental +1.331984 · Joel Hilgenberg · incremental -0.031984 · Louis Oubre · incremental -0.051984 · Rodney Lewis · incremental -0.161984 · Lindsay Scott · incremental -0.171984 · George Rogers · incremental -0.331984 · Morten Andersen · incremental -0.401984 · Tyrone Anthony · incremental -0.511984 · Don Thorp · incremental -0.541984 · Jitter Fields · incremental -0.591984 · Jumpy Geathers · incremental -1.981984 · Terry Hoage · incremental -2.861985 · Kenny Duckett · incremental +0.001985 · Russell Gary · incremental +0.021985 · John Tice · incremental +0.121985 · Frank Warren · incremental +0.151985 · Morten Andersen · incremental +0.151985 · Brad Edelman · incremental +0.191985 · Stan Brock · incremental +0.241985 · Steve Korte · incremental +0.271985 · Dave Waymer · incremental +0.311985 · Joel Hilgenberg · incremental +0.321985 · Eugene Goodlow · incremental +0.351985 · Hoby Brenner · incremental +0.371985 · Glen Redd · incremental +0.561985 · Tony Elliott · incremental +0.641985 · Johnnie Poe · incremental +0.741985 · Rickey Jackson · incremental +1.261985 · Lindsay Scott · incremental -0.031985 · Tyrone Anthony · incremental -0.111985 · Jumpy Geathers · incremental -0.211985 · Terry Hoage · incremental -3.971986 · Russell Gary · incremental +0.061986 · John Tice · incremental +0.101986 · Glen Redd · incremental +0.121986 · Frank Warren · incremental +0.161986 · Stan Brock · incremental +0.241986 · Joel Hilgenberg · incremental +0.271986 · Eugene Goodlow · incremental +0.291986 · Brad Edelman · incremental +0.311986 · Hoby Brenner · incremental +0.311986 · Steve Korte · incremental +0.361986 · Dave Waymer · incremental +0.371986 · Tony Elliott · incremental +0.631986 · Morten Andersen · incremental +0.821986 · Johnnie Poe · incremental +0.841986 · Rickey Jackson · incremental +1.361986 · Jumpy Geathers · incremental -0.491987 · Steve Korte · incremental +0.031987 · John Tice · incremental +0.081987 · Frank Warren · incremental +0.121987 · Stan Brock · incremental +0.191987 · Johnnie Poe · incremental +0.281987 · Rickey Jackson · incremental +0.461987 · Joel Hilgenberg · incremental +0.481987 · Tony Elliott · incremental +0.601987 · Hoby Brenner · incremental +0.621987 · Morten Andersen · incremental +0.921987 · Brad Edelman · incremental +1.001987 · Jumpy Geathers · incremental -0.011987 · Dave Waymer · incremental -0.571988 · John Tice · incremental +0.081988 · Stan Brock · incremental +0.101988 · Frank Warren · incremental +0.171988 · Dave Waymer · incremental +0.261988 · Brad Edelman · incremental +0.331988 · Steve Korte · incremental +0.371988 · Morten Andersen · incremental +0.431988 · Joel Hilgenberg · incremental +0.441988 · Tony Elliott · incremental +0.541988 · Rickey Jackson · incremental +0.571988 · Hoby Brenner · incremental +0.581988 · Jumpy Geathers · incremental -0.901989 · Steve Korte · incremental +0.101989 · John Tice · incremental +0.121989 · Frank Warren · incremental +0.181989 · Brad Edelman · incremental +0.221989 · Stan Brock · incremental +0.251989 · Dave Waymer · incremental +0.361989 · Hoby Brenner · incremental +0.371989 · Rickey Jackson · incremental +0.481989 · Joel Hilgenberg · incremental +0.551989 · Morten Andersen · incremental -0.331989 · Jumpy Geathers · incremental -1.691990 · John Tice · incremental +0.141990 · Stan Brock · incremental +0.241990 · Hoby Brenner · incremental +0.381990 · Joel Hilgenberg · incremental +0.591990 · Rickey Jackson · incremental +0.621990 · Morten Andersen · incremental -0.471991 · John Tice · incremental +0.101991 · Frank Warren · incremental +0.181991 · Stan Brock · incremental +0.251991 · Hoby Brenner · incremental +0.381991 · Joel Hilgenberg · incremental +0.561991 · Rickey Jackson · incremental +1.311991 · Morten Andersen · incremental -0.471992 · John Tice · incremental +0.031992 · Frank Warren · incremental +0.181992 · Morten Andersen · incremental +0.221992 · Stan Brock · incremental +0.251992 · Hoby Brenner · incremental +0.331992 · Rickey Jackson · incremental +1.431992 · Joel Hilgenberg · incremental +1.461993 · Frank Warren · incremental +0.091993 · Hoby Brenner · incremental +0.221993 · Joel Hilgenberg · incremental +0.341993 · Rickey Jackson · incremental +1.361993 · Morten Andersen · incremental -0.471994 · Frank Warren · incremental +0.171994 · Morten Andersen · incremental -0.33Brock -14.6Rogers +1.7Gary -0.1Jackson -1.7Warren -2.1Boyarsky -2.9Gary +0.2Andersen -4.9Gary +0.2Gary +0.2Geathers -2.0Hoage -2.9Gary +0.0Hoage -4.0Gary +0.1Geathers -1.719805 players198113 players198218 players198321 players198425 players198520 players198616 players198713 players198812 players198911 players19906 players19917 players19927 players19935 players19942 players
Above expectationBelow expectationRussell GaryGM total -6.3Russell Gary by season +0.6

How much retained production did Russell Gary return vs. his slot?

Each mark below is one player's model value above slot. Light gray marks are slot-similar peers: DBs drafted within ±5 picks of Russell Gary since 2010 (23 players).The score is the retained production/value bucket from the pick-residual model: on-team AV plus AV-rate quality, adjusted for draft slot, position, and era. Opportunity snaps and league honors are excluded.

-1-0.50+0.5+1Model value above slot29. SmithHarrison Smith · model value +1.127. McCourtyDevin McCourty · model value +125. RhodesXavier Rhodes · model value +0.527. BucannonDeone Bucannon · model value +0.429. GaryRussell Gary · model value +0.3+0.333. CampbellTyson Campbell · model value +0.124. ArnoldTerrion Arnold · model value +0.132. ElamMatt Elam · model value +0.124. BanksDeonte Banks · model value 034. WilliamsAaron Williams · model value -0.125. VerrettJason Verrett · model value -0.127. SmithJimmy Smith · model value -0.133. CyprienJohnathan Cyprien · model value -0.234. CookChris Cook · model value -0.231. HillDaxton Hill · model value -0.326. IIGreg Newsome II · model value -0.329. StokesEric Stokes · model value -0.533. DowlingRas-I Dowling · model value -0.532. CineLewis Cine · model value -0.530. WardJimmie Ward · model value -0.824. DennardDarqueze Dennard · model value -1.129. WilsonKyle Wilson · model value -1.131. RobyBradley Roby · model value -1.132. RobinsonPatrick Robinson · model value -1.2
Russell GarySlot-similar peers (23)

Cumulative value over time

Year-by-year running totals since draft. Left axis = games started. Right axis = honors (Pro Bowl / AP1 / AP2). Pre-2013 picks have no games-started line because that comes from per-game snap counts (not available for older players). Honors extend back to 1980.

'82'84'86'8701529445801Cumulative GSHonors count
Games started (cumulative) Pro Bowls AP1 All-Pro AP2 All-Pro

Full-career season history (7 scored seasons)

YearTeamGPGSSnapsSnap-zAVAV/snapPBAP1AP2
1981NO14145
1982NO9910
1983NO14147
1984NO16166
1985NO220
1986NO, PHI1332
1987PHI1201

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