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Four former Wolverines set to play in the Super Bowl

Michigan Wolverine turned Super Bowl Champion is turning into a yearly occurrence!

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January 1,2013; Tampa, FL, USA; Michigan Wolverines defensive end Frank Clark (57) rushes against the South Carolina Gamecocks during the first half of the 2013 Outback Bowl at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

In a bit over a week, a former Michigan football player will be able to call themselves a Super Bowl Champion. The Kansas City Chiefs are set to face off against the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII in what is sure to be an exciting matchup.

For Michigan fans, what may be even more exciting is that yet another former Wolverine will be able to call themselves a Super Bowl Champion. Both the Chiefs and the Eagles have at least one former Michigan football player on the active roster, with Kansas City having three while Philadelphia has one.

Brandon Graham (Eagles)

Brandon Graham has been dominating the sport of football for what seems like ages at this point. He attended the University of Michigan from 2006-2009 and had one of the most successful careers in program history. Over four years, Graham recorded 29.5 sacks and a jaw-dropping 56 tackles for loss. He was an impact player on the Wolverine defense for about his entire career before the Philadelphia Eagles drafted him in 2010.

As an Eagle, Graham has had an awe-inspiring career. Through his 13 seasons in Philadelphia, he’s recorded 70 sacks and 22 forced fumbles. Not to mention, he’s already a Super Bowl champion, so he’s a veteran in that regard as well. Against the 49ers, he only recorded one tackle on the day, but do not be surprised to see him make a big play or two when he faces off against the Chiefs in a bit over a week.

Frank Clark (Chiefs)

Like Graham, Frank Clark was an impact player at Michigan for most of his career. His final two seasons with the Wolverines were by far his most successful. Over that stretch, he recorded nine sacks and 25.5 tackles for loss. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in 2015 and has been with the Kansas City Chiefs since the 2019 season.

Clark has also had an incredibly successful career so far in his time in the NFL. Not only can he also claim to be a Super Bowl Champion, but he’s a three-time Pro Bowler. In his eight seasons in the NFL, he’s recorded 58.5 sacks and 67 tackles for loss, so he is no stranger to the opponent’s backfield. In his most recent game against the Cincinnati Bengals, he recorded 1.5 sacks and was clearly fired up about having the opportunity to go to the Super Bowl again.

Mike Danna (Chiefs)

Mike Danna only played one season with the Wolverines, as he spent his first four years of college football with the Central Michigan Chippewas. Still, he showed he was more than capable of handling the jump to the Big Ten, as he recorded three sacks and 38 total tackles in his sole season as a Wolverine. He was then drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2020 and wasted no time making an impact on one of the best teams in the league.

While his career may be young, he has shown significant improvement over his three years, bumping up his sack numbers each season. After recording just 2.5 sacks in his rookie year, he’s gotten to the quarterback five times this season, and he’s not done yet. Against the Bengals, he recorded five total tackles, showing that he is more than comfortable leaving it all on the field for his team. Don’t be surprised to see him turn some heads in the Super Bowl and throughout the rest of his career going forward.

Chad Henne (Chiefs)

Chad Henne is widely viewed as one of the greatest quarterbacks to wear the maize and blue in Ann Arbor. He started for the Wolverines all four years on campus and finished his career with a whopping 9,715 passing yards and 90 total touchdowns. Following his senior season, Henne was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the 2008 NFL Draft.

The only offensive player on this list, while he doesn’t boast the crazy stats other quarterbacks may have, has had an incredibly successful career in the NFL. I mean, you don’t play 13 seasons in the NFL if you aren’t doing something right. Over his career, he’s recorded 13,290 passing yards and 64 total touchdowns. While he is backing up star quarterback Patrick Mahomes this year, if he finds a way to make his way on the field in the Super Bowl, Michigan fans will undoubtedly be rejoicing from wherever they stand.

Super Bowl LVII is set to take place Sunday, February 12, 2023, at 6:30 p.m. EST in Glendale, Arizona. Whoever you may want to win in the end, it’s always a pleasure to see some former Wolverines take the field in the NFL, especially if the Super Bowl is involved.

FOOTBALL

Former Michigan football star earns massive new contract

This former Michigan football star just got PAID!

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Michigan football, Cesar Ruiz, New Orleans Saints, NFL
Sep 8, 2018; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Michigan Wolverines running back Karan Higdon (22) rushes behind offensive lineman Cesar Ruiz (51) against the Western Michigan Broncos at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

The Wolverines’ 2023 season is in full swing, which is exciting for fans, yet even ex-players have been doing well as of late. Ahead of the first week of the NFL season, former Michigan football star turned New Orleans Saints standout — Cesar Ruiz — inked a massive new contract extension, keeping him in the Black and Gold through the 2027 season.

Former Michigan football star is standing out in the NFL

Cesar Ruiz was a standout along the Michigan football offensive line, appearing in 36 games from 2017-2019, 31 of which as a starter. Ruiz was a two-time All-Big Ten selection (2018 and 2019) and a three-year letterman (2017-2019) before becoming a first-round NFL Draft pick following the Wolverines’ 9-4 season in 2019. While Ruiz was not a member of any Big Ten title-winning Michigan football teams, his two years as a full-time starter were still solid — in 2018 and 2019, the Wolverines had two ranked finishes with a 19-7 overall record.

Cesar Ruiz agrees to huge deal with the Saints

Since being picked by the New Orleans Saints, the former Michigan football star has been impressive — enough so that he was recently given a new massive contract extension. Since being picked, Ruiz has made 40 starts for the Saints, appearing in an additional six games as a non-starter.

Cesar Ruiz — now 24 years old — and the Saints agreed on a four-year NFL contract extension worth $44 million; he is now the 6th-highest paid center in the National Football League.



Thank you for reading Blue by Ninety. For more Michigan Athletics and Big Ten content from Blue by Ninety, follow us on TwitterFacebook, and Instagram. You can also subscribe to our YouTube Channel. For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email our Publisher at Cj@BluebyNinety.com. Also, be sure to check out our shop and our podcast, which is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all other streaming platforms. It is because of your support that we have become one of the fastest-growing and most influential Michigan media outlets there is!

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FOOTBALL

Michigan football star among top 15 in latest NFL Draft rankings

This Michigan football star is being pinned as a top NFL Draft target for next spring!

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Michigan football star, NFL Draft, Kris Jenkins, Mel Kiper
Dec 31, 2022; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Michigan Wolverines defensive lineman Kris Jenkins (94) against the TCU Horned Frogs during the 2022 Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Recently, top NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper (ESPN) released his updated rankings for next spring’s draft. Last year, Mazi Smith, a massive nose tackle and ex-Wolveirne team captain, was picked in the first round by the Dallas Cowboys. Now, Kiper projects another Michigan football star to go in Round 1: defensive tackle and team captain Kris Jenkins.

Michigan football star placed among top 15 in new NFL Draft rankings

Since the start of fall camp this year, Michigan football star defensive tackle Kris Jenkins has been labeled as a “freak” and more — he is known as ‘The Mutant’ around Ann Arbor, and rightfully so. Jenkins, recently named a team captain, has gained even more hype, as Mel Kiper projects him to be a top 15 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Jim Harbaugh has recently stated that he believes the Wolverines will break a long-standing NFL Draft record by surpassing Georgia’s record of players picked, with 20 Wolverines going pro. Harbaugh could be right; in fact, even ESPN supports his claim, though only a few Michigan standouts are currently considered first-round talents.

That said, if Kris Jenkins performs as expected by experts and the Michigan football coaching staff, there is no reason he cannot be a major NFL Draft target next spring.

In Kiper’s newest mock draft, he has Michigan football defensive tackle Kris Jenkins ranked as the No. 15 prospect on the board. Other Wolverines, such as Donovan Edwards, Blake Corum, and JJ McCarthy, have all been mentioned as potential first-rounders as well; however, none of them made the cut in Kiper’s most recent projections.



Thank you for reading Blue by Ninety. For more Michigan Athletics and Big Ten content from Blue by Ninety, follow us on TwitterFacebook, and Instagram. You can also subscribe to our YouTube Channel. For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email our Publisher at Cj@BluebyNinety.com. Also, be sure to check out our shop and our podcast, which is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all other streaming platforms. It is because of your support that we have become one of the fastest-growing and most influential Michigan media outlets there is!

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FOOTBALL

NFL draft analyst compares Michigan football RB to former 1st round draft pick

Is Michigan football running back Donovan Edwards a future first rounder?

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Michigan football RB, Donovan Edwards, Jahmyr Gibbs, NFL draft
Dec 3, 2022; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Michigan Wolverines running back Donovan Edwards (7) before the Big Ten Championship against the Purdue Boilermakers at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports

Expectations are at an all-time high for Michigan football. A large part of this is that they have the best running back room in all of college football, with Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards. As the hype builds for the season, talks of the NFL draft are also picking up steam. For Michigan football RB Donovan Edwards, he is even receiving comparisons to one of the best backs in this past draft, Jahmyr Gibbs.

Michigan football RB Donovan Edwards is entering first-round discussions ahead of the 2024 NFL draft

Donovan Edwards is a man amongst boys. Breaking onto the scene in 2023, the rest of the country is officially on notice.

Coming out of high school as a five-star and the No. 2 running back in the country, expectations have been elevated from day one. Luckily for Michigan fans, he has not disappointed.

In two years with the program, without being the full-time starter either year, Edwards has run the ball for 1,165 yards and 10 touchdowns. However, even more impressive might be his receiving numbers.

As a third and second-string running back in the last two seasons, Edwards has helped make his impact felt through the passing game. He’s recorded 465 yards and three touchdowns receiving over his career.

He’s one of the best overall running backs in the country. It’s only natural that he begins receiving comparisons to Jahmyr Gibbs, one of the best pass-catching backs from this past NFL draft.

NFL analyst Trevor Sikkema especially thinks so, saying, “When I look at Donovan Edwards, I think he can be the Jahmyr Gibbs of this upcoming class.”

In his time at Alabama, Jahmyr Gibbs was widely viewed as one of the best receiving backs in the country, NFL or college. While it’s undoubtedly an honor to receive such praise, it begs the question, could Edwards be even better?

Running back Donovan Edwards has some high expectations heading into the 2023 season

Donovan Edwards is about as close to a guarantee to go into the 2024 NFL draft as it gets. What’s shocking about that is he has minimal starting experience in college.

In fact, he won’t even be the starter in 2023 as Blake Corum elected to return for his senior year.

In 2021, Edwards was the third-string running back behind Michigan football legends Hassan Haskins and Blake Corum. Despite being buried on the depth chart, he found a way to make a significant impact thanks to his pass-catching ability.

For the 2022 season, a jump was expected. Haskins was off to the NFL, meaning Edwards would get the bump to second-string. Luckily for Edwards, he made a fantastic decision with his college choice, as coach Jim Harbaugh loves to run the ball.

In turn, Edwards put up major numbers, eclipsing 1,000 yards from scrimmage, despite backing up Corum most of the season.

While Edwards will likely still serve as a backup for the Wolverines in 2023, this shouldn’t matter too much. Many recruiting sites view him as a more impressive NFL draft prospect than Corum.

Big things are on the way for Edwards. He possesses the speed, size and strength to excel at this level and the next. Don’t be surprised to see him take another step forward in 2023 as he prepares to be one of the highest-drafted running backs in 2024.


Thank you for reading Blue by Ninety. For more Michigan Athletics content from Blue by Ninety, follow us on TwitterFacebook, and Instagram. You can also subscribe to our YouTube Channel. For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email our Managing Editor at Cj@BluebyNinety.com. Also, be sure to check out our shop and our podcast, which is available on Apple PodcastsSpotify, and all other streaming platforms. It is because of your support that we have become one of the fastest-growing and most influential Michigan media outlets there is!

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