Michigan Football: Top 10 All-Time Wolverine wide receivers

Playing alongside legendary, championship-caliber, Michigan Wolverines, Desmond distinguished himself from his teammates and, well, the rest of college football on his way to obtaining the most celebrated award in all of amateur football, the Heisman trophy.

Desmond and quarterback Elvis Grbac, who originally intended on attending Ohio State, committed the same year and played their first year during the final year of Bo Schembechler’s illustrious career, and they were a large part of the success Gary Moeller experienced early on.

Howard didn’t have the obnoxious amount of receiving yards others at Michigan gained, but that’s more due to the conservative run-first offense employed by the coaches at the time. The “air-raid” attack wasn’t utilized on the grounds in Ann Arbor, and an assistant wouldn’t have uttered josh Gattis’ speed-in-space model for fear of getting fired.

Howard was able to get a 1,000-yard season and finished his career with 2,146 receiving yards and 32 touchdowns.

After the 1991 season, Desmond declared for the NFL draft and was selected fourth overall by the Washington Redskins. As a journeyman return specialist, Howard’s talents were eventually recognized on the big stage when, during Super Bowl XXXI, he earned the MVP award; becoming the first and only special teams player to win the award.