Who Is on the Mount Rushmore of Michigan Football?

When you look at the history of Michigan football over the last 50 years, you immediately think of some generational talent.

As the winningest program in college football history, we could name player after player who has succeeded in Ann Arbor and those who made it to the NFL. However, only four can make it onto the Mount Rushmore of Michigan football.

So, who made the cut? Who are the four best Wolverines of all-time?

The Mount Rushmore of Michigan Football

The first three were non-debatable to us at Blue By Ninety. These three players were some who changed the culture and helped turn the program around, Heisman winners, and national champions.

However, the last spot was a toss-up between two, so I’ll discuss both in the sections below.

Charles Woodson, center, celebrates an interception made by Michigan defensive back R.J. Moten (6) against Maryland during the second half at the Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022.

Charles Woodson

A legendary name in not only Michigan football history, but college football as a whole: Charles Woodson made an immediate impact from the moment he walked into the Michigan locker room.

He is Michigan’s most recent Heisman winner, winning it as a cornerback in 1997. On defense that season, Woodson had 7 interceptions and 43 tackles. Meanwhile, offensively, he had 11 catches for 231 yards and a touchdown. Not only did he play both sides of the ball, but he was effective on special teams as a punt returner. He was a part of the historic 1997 National Championship team.

After college, Woodson was drafted 4th overall by the Oakland Raiders, named Rookie of the Year in 1998, and won a Super Bowl with the Packers in 2011.

To this day, Charles is an avid supporter of his alma mater and serves as a mentor to many of the current players. He still plays an integral part in the Michigan football program 20 years later.

Sep 16, 2023; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Desmond Howard on the set of ESPN College GameDay prior to the game between the Colorado Buffaloes and the Colorado State Rams at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Wevers-USA TODAY Sports

Desmond Howard

Another Heisman winner for the Wolverines, Desmond Howard was the third-ever wide receiver to win the award.

Howard is probably one of the best offensive players in program history. After redshirting his Freshman year, he broke out his Sophomore and Junior seasons.

He set records for the Big Ten and NCAA and is known for being one of the most athletic and electric athletes of all time. In his career, he had 127 catches for 1944 yards, with 30 receiving touchdowns. He was named a consensus All-American in 1991 and became the first receiver in history to lead the Big Ten in scoring.

He was drafted 4th overall in 1992 by the Washington Redskins, and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2010.

In 2024, Desmond Howard stays loyal and true to the Maize and Blue. As an analyst on College Game Day, he will always stand up and support his former team, no matter how they are performing.

Aidan Hutchinson

Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson collected three sacks against Ohio State.
Syndication Detroit Free Press

A player that every football fan knows now, Aidan Hutchinson went for a roller coaster ride during his time on the U-M football team. However, it paid off as he is now known as one of the best Defensive Ends in college football history.

His teams at Michigan went 10-3 (2018), 9-4 (2019), 2-4 (2020, a season we like to forget about), and 12-2 (2021). Hutchinson played an integral role in leading this team to their first win against Ohio State in 10 years and first Big Ten championship since 2004.

After the 2021 win against Ohio State in the Big House, Aidan said:

“This is why I came back, all of this is why I came back.”

After one of the worst seasons in Michigan football history, he wanted to leave on a high note. He changed the culture within the team and became a leader for all.

On the field though, Hutchinson was a beast. After a season-ending injury in 2020, Aidan came back in 2021 with a vengeance.

He had 62 tackles, 16.5 of them for loss. He had 14 sacks, which was a program record, as well as three pass breakups. He had two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery.

Hutchinson was the Heisman runner-up for the 2021 season and was drafted 2nd overall to the Detroit Lions, staying close to home and the Wolverines.

Blake Corum or JJ McCarthy?

The final spot was a hard one, and I couldn’t choose one or the other. So, I’ll discuss why they both deserved a spot.

Blake Corum

Michigan running back Blake Corum high-fives fans to celebrate U-M’s 26-0 win over Iowa in the Big Ten championship game in Indianapolis on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023.

Some might say Blake Corum is the best running back in Wolverines football history. Honestly, I probably agree with them. He came into the program in the 2020 season but like I said, let’s not talk about that year. While he played in all 6 games, it was nothing special. In 2021, he took off and never looked back.

In 45 games played, Blake had 674 carries for 3737 yards and 58 touchdowns. For receiving yards, he had 56 catches for 411 yards and three touchdowns.

Blake was having a historic season in 2022 and was on track to win the Heisman, and would have been the 4th Wolverine to win the prestigious award. However, a season-ending injury against Illinois took him out of the race. Blake is resilient and tough. He tried to continue to play the following week against OSU with a serious leg injury. His passion for his teammates, coaches, and the Michigan Wolverines as. whole is unlike anything we have ever seen.

He told fans at a Michigan basketball game that he was coming back for the 2023 season to win another Big Ten title, but also win the National Championship, a goal they came just shy of the previous two years.

Blake came back for his senior season and the duo between him and JJ McCarthy was electric. He did exactly what he told fans he came back to do. Won a national championship and left a legacy on Michigan forever.

J.J. McCarthy

Jan 1, 2024; Pasadena, CA, USA; Michigan Wolverines quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) celebrates on the podium after defeating the Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2024 Rose Bowl college football playoff semifinal game at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

I will stand by the fact that J.J. McCarthy turned this program around and will be the best quarterback to ever play at Michigan.

Back in 2020 when the program was at its worst, high school senior JJ McCarthy tweeted and said this

“I want all Michigan fans to do this. Take 3 deep breaths… And have faith. Faith that every single Coach, player, employee in that building is doing everything they possibly can to be great.”

The following 3 years, JJ McCarthy took this football program to a level of greatness that no one expected. 3 Big Ten titles, 3 straight wins against Ohio State, and a National Championship title.

JJ was a duel threat quarterback and incredibly athletic. In 40 games played, he had 482 completions out of 713 (68%) for 6226 yards and only 11 interceptions in his career. He had 49 passing touchdowns. In rushing yards, he had 161 rushes for 632 yards and 10 rushing touchdowns.

His junior year was his breakout season and ended up being drafted 10th overall by the Minnesota Vikings in the 2024 draft. He was the first Michigan quarterback drafted in the first round since Jim Harbaugh in 1987.

Michigan is not known for their quarterbacks like Alabama and Ohio State or Clemson. But after JJ, that is going to change. He changed the Michigan football culture and led them to success.

As we know, this program is full of greatness. So, picking just four players to go on the Mount Rushmore of Michigan Football was not an easy task, but that alone just shows how successful this program has been – and will continue to be for the years to come!