Michigan Wolverines Football: 30 greatest players of all-time

Desmond Howard is one of only three players in the history of the program to win the Heisman Trophy. Frankly, he may have won it long before it was announced in 1991. Howard returned a punt to the house against hated rival Ohio State Buckeyes on November 23, 1991. After scoring, he struck the famous Heisman pose, instantly becoming a legend in Ann Arbor.

Howard was more than just a return man during his time at Michigan, having had two of the more prolific receiving seasons in program history. Though he was an All-American running back in high school in Ohio, Howard ended up leading the Big Ten in receiving touchdowns twice. His 1991 season is one of the best in college football history.

Not only did Howard win the Heisman Trophy in 1991, but he made a clean sweep of the other awards. He won the Walter Camp and Maxwell Awards, while also being named an All-American. Between the 1990 and 1991 seasons, Howard hauled in over 120 passes for nearly 2,000 receiving yards, while finding the end zone 21 times through the air.

For his efforts, the Washington Redskins made him the No. 4 overall pick in the 1992 NFL Draft. However, Howard was not nearly the player in the NFL that he was at Michigan. He won a Super Bowl with the Green Bay Packers  and made one trip to the Pro Bowl, but his work inside The Big House is what lands him on our list. No Michigan player will ever wear his No. 21 again in the Maize and Blue.