Man, I remember being just a little dude, maybe seven or eight, and watching a game on TV. Some commentator was going on and on about this quarterback who came out of Michigan. My pops, who’s all about college football, just shook his head and mumbled, "Yeah, they ain't exactly a QB factory, are they? But when they hit, they hit." That single, kinda grumpy comment stuck with me. Like, how true is that? Are the Wolverines, with all their history and that massive stadium, really slacking when it comes to getting their star signal-callers into the big league? And I ain't talkin' about the running backs they sometimes line up at QB; I mean the guys who throw the rock.
It turns out, the answer is kinda complex, like trying to untangle old Christmas lights. Michigan has had a bunch of dudes under center over the years, some legends, some just... dudes. But the journey from the Big House to an NFL roster is a total grind, and only a special few make the cut. Let's dive deep into the ultimate roster review and figure out just how many of those Ann Arbor aces actually laced up their cleats for an NFL payday. Spoiler: It's more than you think, but maybe less than other schools. It’s a classic Wolverine tale!
Step 1: Getting the Dudes on the Books - The Drafted Quarterbacks
The easiest way to measure this whole QB-to-NFL pipeline is by checking the NFL Draft. Getting drafted means a team straight-up believed you were one of the best around. Michigan’s history is long, like really long, so the list stretches way back. We're talking vintage football here, folks.
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| How Many Michigan Quarterbacks Made It To The Nfl |
1.1. The Old School Legends and Early Picks
Before the modern era, the draft was wilder than a tailgate party gone wrong. Michigan had some quarterbacks drafted, even when the position wasn't the air-raid focus it is now. These guys were often "slash" players—running, passing, maybe even playing defense!
Forest Evashevski (1941): He was an early pick, a first-rounder, though back then, things were different. He was listed as a 'B' (Back), which meant a QB in some schemes.
George Ceithaml (1943) & Joe Ponsetto (1946, 1947): These guys popped up in the draft, showing that the pro scouts always had an eye on the maize and blue. They had that Michigan pedigree, even if their pro careers were a quick flash in the pan.
1.2. The Modern Era’s Drafted QBs: A Star-Studded but Sparse List
Once the NFL got all structured and the forward pass became, well, the thing, Michigan started putting out some seriously recognizable names. This is where the story gets really juicy, and where that grumpy comment from my dad starts to make more sense.
See that? Just eight guys in the modern era to get drafted, up to the most recent draft. It’s a small number, but the quality, my friends, is absolutely bonkers. It's truly a quality over quantity situation. You can’t get much better than the Greatest Of All Time, can you? Talk about a mic drop!
QuickTip: Reread tricky spots right away.
Step 2: The Actual Foot-in-the-Door Crew - The Non-Drafted and Undrafted
Now, getting drafted is cool, but let's be real—the NFL is a cold, harsh business. Sometimes a guy gets drafted and never sees the field, and sometimes an undrafted free agent (U-D-F-A, for the acronym lovers out there) sneaks onto a roster and ends up being a legend. We gotta count anyone who actually made an active roster, even for a snap.
2.1. The Walk-ons and UDFAs Who Kept the Dream Alive
Some of the most inspiring stories are about the guys who weren't drafted but just kept working. They had the grit. They had the hustle. They just kept showing up.
Brian Griese (1998): This dude was a walk-on at Michigan! He led the Wolverines to a National Championship and then went on to be drafted in the third round. He was an incredible player and had a long pro career. Wait, scratch that—he was drafted, but his story is so good I’m leaving him here! It shows that grit! He played for over a decade and even made a Pro Bowl. Seriously, a Pro Bowl!
Drew Henson: Remember him? The two-sport star who split time with Tom Brady? He got drafted by the Texans in 2003, but because he spent a minute playing pro baseball (yeah, really!), his NFL career was a whole drama-fest. He played a tiny bit for Dallas and Detroit. It counts, though! He made it!
Denard Robinson: Okay, “Shoelace” was a QB legend in college, but he got drafted as a running back/wide receiver. So, technically, he didn't make it to the NFL as a QB. This is an important distinction! We have to be super strict, or this whole list will get messy.
2.2. Tracking the Active Roster Vets: More Than Just a Draft Card
What about the guys who stuck around? The ones who weren't megastars but provided serious value to a team for years? They are the glue!
Todd Collins (1995): He was a second-round pick and spent nearly two decades in the league! That’s bonkers longevity for a guy who was mostly a backup. He was a professional to the core.
When you look at the total number of guys who were drafted or actually played a down on an active NFL roster as a quarterback, the number is small, especially compared to QB-factories like USC or Purdue (I know, weird, right?). We're talking maybe 12 or 13 guys since the early draft days, with about 10 really notable names in the modern league who stuck around.
QuickTip: Scan for summary-style sentences.
Step 3: The Tom Brady Effect - Why Quality Trumps Quantity
Let's be totally real: you can have a dozen guys drafted in the first round, but if none of them win, does it even matter? Michigan’s story is all about one guy, and he's the ultimate trump card.
3.1. The Late-Round Gem That Broke the Game
Tom Brady. The sixth round. The 199th pick. The whole "he had to compete with Drew Henson" storyline. It’s the ultimate Cinderella story, only the slipper fits and the prince ends up owning the entire kingdom. His presence on this list warps the whole conversation.
One player with 7 Super Bowl rings, 5 Super Bowl MVPs, and the all-time records for passing yards and touchdowns.
The biggest draft steal of all time, period. You could argue that Michigan’s QB production is second to none purely because they produced the G.O.A.T.
3.2. Measuring Michigan’s True QB Success
If we're judging a program's QB success by:
Getting guys drafted.
Getting guys to stick in the NFL.
Winning championships in the NFL.
Then Michigan is a weird anomaly. They don't have the volume, but the quality is off-the-charts amazing. Jim Harbaugh was a solid, Pro Bowl starter. Brian Griese was a Pro Bowl guy and Super Bowl champ. Chad Henne was a reliable backup for years. And then there's The GOAT. It's a boom-or-bust pipeline that seems to trend toward mega-boom every couple of decades.
Step 4: The Final Tally and The Path Forward
Tip: Slow down when you hit important details.
So, to answer the question, how many Michigan quarterbacks made it to the NFL? The answer is more than a simple number, because "made it" is a flexible term.
The Strict Tally: About 18-20 players who have played the Quarterback position at Michigan have been drafted or later made an active NFL roster as a Quarterback or another offensive 'Back' position (going way back to the older eras when the terms were fluid). Sticking to just drafted QBs in the modern era, you’re looking at around 8-10 guys who were primarily passers in college and had a solid shot in the NFL. It’s not USC numbers, but oh man, it’s Tom Brady numbers.
4.1. The Future of the Michigan Quarterback
With J.J. McCarthy becoming a top-10 pick recently, the narrative that Michigan can't produce elite QBs is totally busted. The program is evolving. They finally got that elusive first-round, top-10 pick—and that's a huge feather in their cap. The Wolverines are showing they can still find, coach, and develop a franchise-level guy, even if they aren't pumping them out like a soda machine. It’s all about the quality control, you know?
The moral of the story? Don't let your dad's grumpy commentary fool you entirely. While the sheer number of Michigan QBs in the NFL might be low, the impact of the ones who make it is absolutely massive. It just takes a little more digging than you might think to find the real gems.
FAQ Questions and Answers
How many Super Bowl wins do Michigan QBs have?
Michigan quarterbacks have an absolutely staggering seven Super Bowl wins as a starting quarterback, all thanks to Tom Brady. Add in the rings won by backups like Brian Griese (one) and Chad Henne (two), and the total rises to 10 Super Bowl rings for Michigan QBs. That’s insane!
Tip: Scroll slowly when the content gets detailed.
What Michigan quarterback was drafted the highest?
The Michigan quarterback drafted the highest in NFL history is J.J. McCarthy, who was selected with the 10th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. This broke the record previously held by Jim Harbaugh (26th overall in 1987).
Who is the most successful NFL quarterback from Michigan?
Hands down, it's Tom Brady. His numerous records, seven Super Bowl victories, and multiple MVP awards make him the most accomplished quarterback in NFL history, not just from Michigan. It’s not even close, folks.
Which Michigan QBs made the Pro Bowl in the NFL?
A few Michigan quarterbacks earned Pro Bowl honors in the NFL: Tom Brady, Jim Harbaugh, and Brian Griese. That's a solid trio representing the Maize and Blue in the league’s all-star game!
How many Michigan quarterbacks were drafted in the first round?
Since the modern NFL draft began, only two Michigan quarterbacks have been selected in the first round: Jim Harbaugh (1987, 26th overall) and J.J. McCarthy (2024, 10th overall). The first-round club is very exclusive!
Would you like to know more about the career stats of one of these legendary Michigan quarterbacks?
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