​Yesterday ESPN posted a story that is sure to spark engagement, claiming to crown the greatest college football players by jersey number. Michigan fared reasonably well in the honorable mentions, but only one Wolverine was singled out as the best for his number. Without looking, can you guess which one it is? I initially thought of Charles Woodson wearing No. 2, Jake Long No. 77, or Desmond Howard No. 21. ESPN disagreed on all three. The sole Wolverine to earn the top honor for his number is Tom Harmon, the legendary No. 98.
Let’s break down some of ESPN’s picks and identify the most egregious departures. Woodson was surpassed by Deion Sanders for No. 2. Both were two-time consensus All-Americans and outstanding players, but Woodson won the Heisman, the Maxwell Award, the Thorpe Award, and a national title, while Sanders did not achieve those feats. That particular choice sticks out as especially questionable.
As for No. 21, Desmond Howard wasn’t selected, but that’s not a thundering slight; Michigan fans know Howard’s impact, though Barry Sanders of Oklahoma State was chosen for No. 21 and remains a fixture in the NCAA record books decades later.
A handful of players from earlier eras appear in the honorable mentions as well. Army’s Glenn Davis is listed at No. 41 over Michigan’s Rob Lytle, Buffalo’s Khalil Mack is placed at No. 46 ahead of Harry Newman, and Miami’s Michael Irvin is picked for No. 47 over Bennie Oosterbaan. Comparing players across eras is always challenging.
Continuing the pattern, North Carolina’s Julius Peppers is chosen for No. 49 over Bob Chappuis, Texas’s Tommy Nobis at No. 60 over Mark Messner, and Chad Hennings of Air Force selected for No. 87 over Ron Kramer. A number of more recent Wolverines also appeared in the honorable mentions but weren’t selected to represent their numbers. LaMarr Woodley (No. 56), Steve Hutchinson (No. 76), and Jake Long (No. 77) were passed over by Virginia Tech’s Corey Moore, Miami’s Warren Sapp, and Illinois’s Red Grange, respectively. Sapp and Grange are tough to argue with, but Moore over Woodley seems a bit dubious.
This brings us to Michigan’s lone outright winner. Harmon’s résumé goes far beyond the Heisman: he also won the Maxwell Award, was AP Athlete of the Year, earned Big Ten MVP, and is enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame. He beat out Lawrence Taylor (North Carolina), John Henderson (Tennessee), Grant Wistrom (Nebraska), and every other player to wear No. 98.
Ultimately, ESPN sketched a subjective list. For Michigan fans, certain numbers instantly evoke specific heroes. Beyond those already mentioned, others that come to mind include Anthony Carter’s No. 1, Jim Harbaugh’s No. 4, and Denard Robinson’s No. 16.
So which jersey number in Michigan history is best for SEO? If you’re targeting search traffic, you might focus on a number tied to a widely recognized name, such as No. 1 (Anthony Carter), No. 4 (Jim Harbaugh), No. 16 (Denard Robinson), or No. 98 (Tom Harmon).