The Michigan Wolverines’ past two seasons haven’t ended with national championships, but they have been deemed a success by most, considering their back-to-back Big Ten Championships and back-to-back wins over arch-rival Ohio State.
For Head Coach Jim Harbaugh’s many supporters, the Wolverines fulfilled a promise that began back in 2015, when Harbaugh took over for Brady Hoke and led the team to a decisive New Year’s Day bowl victory over the Florida Gators with Iowa transfer Jake Rudock at quarterback.
Harbaugh proved in one year that he could oversee a disciplined, productive, and at times dominant team in his first season, although much work was yet to be done.
Since then, Harbaugh supporters have pointed to his track record for putting players in the pros at an exceptionally high rate as evidence that the former San Francisco 49ers and Stanford Cardinal head coach simply needed more time to put his stamp on the program.
Michigan alumni’s success in the NFL has continued ever since, culminating in a unique milestone heading into the AFC and NFC championship games.
Michigan Has More Alumni in the NFC and AFC Championship Games Than All But One Program
Michigan has seven players currently on the rosters of NFC and AFC Championship Game contestants Cincinnati, Kansas City, Philadelphia and San Francisco, just two players behind the number one team, the Oklahoma Sooners, who have nine players counting former Alabama transfer and Eagles starting quarterback Jalen Hurts.
That places Michigan in sole possession of the number two spot ahead of all other Big Ten teams, all SEC teams, and every other program in the country.
Of the seven players, four of them played under Harbaugh.
The seven players are as follows:
Frank Clark-
The former second round pick had 39 tackles and five sacks on the year. He tends to save his best for big games, so keep an eye on him in the chase for the Lombardi Trophy.
Mike Danna-
The former Central Michigan transfer played under Harbaugh. He has found a role in Kansas City, also notching five sacks in 2022 along with two forced fumbles.
Chris Evans-
The big-play running back hasn’t recorded any stats in 2022, but remains on Cincinnati’s roster. He has shown the same type of ability that made him a threat to take it the distance on every play at Michigan, however, in limited and preseason action.
Brandon Graham-
The 34-year-old former Michigan defensive end is in the prime of his career, recording 11 sacks this season and leading a fearsome Philadelphia defense.
Dax Hill-
The former first-round pick had 16 tackles this season and is listed as the Bengals’ backup at free safety. His career is still in its infant stages, and Hill has plenty of potential.
Ambry Thomas-
The former third-round pick and Wolverine from Detroit, MI is listed as questionable for Sunday’s championship game at Philadelphia. He had 13 total tackles on the 2022 season.
