You can argue that Tom Brady is the greatest player in NFL history.
He’s certainly in the debate — and the University of Michigan can claim him. But greatness isn’t restricted to the quarterback position at Michigan. The Wolverines have become a football factory that churns out blue-chip offensive linemen.
According to pro-football-reference.com, Michigan ranks fifth all-time among colleges with 434 NFL draft picks. The Wolverines also rank eighth all-time with 48 first-rounders. Twelve of those first-rounders have been offensive linemen and another 11 arrived in the NFL as second-rounders.
Michigan has produced three Hall-of-Fame blockers — guards Steve Hutchinson and Tom Mack and tackle Dan Dierdorf. Mack was a first-round pick of the Los Angeles Rams in 1966, Hutchinson a first-round pick of the Seattle Seahawks in 2001 and Dierdorf a second-round pick of the St. Louis Cardinals in 1971, Mack went to 11 Pro Bowls, Hutchinson seven and Dierdorf six.
In addition, tackle Wistert was named to the NFL’s all-decade team for the 1940s.
Mike Kenn, a first-round pick of Atlanta in 1978, went to five Pro Bowls with the Falcons, and fellow tackle Jake Long, the first overall pick of the 2008 draft, went to four Pro Bowls with the Dolphins. Tackle Bubba Paris, a second-round pick of the 49ers in 1982, started on three Super Bowl teams for San Francisco, and Jumbo Elliott, a second-rounder in 1988, started on a Super Bowl team for the New York Giants.
Reggie McKenzie and Paul Seymour were both members of Buffalo’s Electric Company that opened the holes for O.J. Simpson in his 2,000-yard season, and Jon Runyan was named to Philadelphia’s 75th anniversary team at tackle. Seymour was a first-rounder, McKenzie a second and Runyan a fourth.
Here’s the University of Michigan’s all-time NFL: team:
*-QB–Tom Brady, 7 Super Bowl rings
RB–Ron Johnson, 2 Pro Bowls
RB–Leroy Hoard, Pro Bowl
WR–Elroy Hirsch, Hall of Fame
WR–Anthony Carter, 3 Pro Bowls, USFL champion
TE–Ron Kramer, NFL’s 50th anniversary team
OT–Dan Dierdorf, Hall of Fame
OT–Al Wistert, 1940s NFL all-decade team
G–Tom Mack, Hall of Fame
G–Steve Hutchinson, Hall of Fame
C–Steve Everitt, Started 98 NFL games
DE–Len Ford, Hall of Fame
DE–Curtis Greer, 69 ½ career sacks
DT–Alan Branch, 2 Super Bowls
DT–Tom Keating, All-time All-AFL team
LB–LaMarr Woodley, Pro Bowl
MLB–David Harris, 1,088 career tackles
LB–Larry Foote, 2 Super Bowls
CB–Ty Law, Hall of Fame
CB–Dave Brown, 62 career interceptions
S–Charles Woodson, Hall of Fame
S–Dwight Hicks, 4 Pro Bowls
K–Ali Haji-Sheikh, 151 career points
P–Zolton Mesko, NFL rookie record for net punting (38.4 yards)
KR–Desmond Howard, Super Bowl MVP
ST–Ian Gold, Pro Bowl
*–Still active
