Top Ten NFL Players from the University of Miami

This is my list of the Top 10 Miami Hurricanes to play in the NFL. This does not take into account their college careers but how they did in the NFL. My list of the Top 10 NFL players from the University of Miami will of course leave off some great players.

My buddy Marc "With a C" James from WFNZ's The Drive inspired this list by talking about players from "The U" And WFNZ morning show host Chris McClain offered some input on Ray Lewis and Ed Reed for this list of the best Miami Hurricanes to play in the NFL. Feel free to heap praise or insults on me in the comments section at the end of this article.

10 Reggie Wayne WR- Colts

Reggie Wayne may have made it higher on my list of the best NFL players from the University of Miami, if he hadn't played with Peyton Manning his whole career. Manning inflates stats of offensive players. Still at the time of this writing (July 2011) Wayne has almost 800 career catches and is a five time Pro Bowler.

9 Cortez Kennedy DT- Seahawks

Kennedy was a beast of a defensive tackle on some bad Seahawk teams. Cortez Kennedy was a eight time Pro Bowler and three time first team All Pro selection. Cortez had an amazing 14 sacks in 1992 and ended up with 58 for his career.

8 Ted Hendricks LB- Packers, Colts and Raiders

Hendricks was perhaps better known for being a little weird and being a party animal but he was a NFL Hall of Fame inductee in 1990. Hendricks was tall at 6ft 7 for a linebacker but he used it to his advantage and was a great all around player.

7 Andre Johnson WR- Texans

Andre Johnson is one of the best NFL wide receivers of all time much less top players from "The U". Johnson playing on bad teams has dominated since coming into the NFL being a five time Pro Bowler and two time first team All Pro.

6 Michael Irvin WR- Cowboys

The "Playmaker" Michael Irvin may be known as much for his off the field exploits as on the field play but he was a great wide receiver. Irvin is a NFL Hall of Fame player whose career was cut short by injury.

5 Edgerrin James RB- Colts, Cardinals and Seahawks

Edgerrin James was a great running back and also an excellent receiver out of the backfield. James had over 15,000 yards from scrimmage and had 83 touchdowns. James was a four time Pro Bowler and one time first team All Pro.

4 Jim Kelly QB- Bills

Jim Kelly is the only NFL quarterback to ever lead a team to four consecutive Super Bowls; sadly the Bills lost all of them. Kelly and the Buffalo Bills dynasty are vast underrated because they did lose the big games. Jim Kelly threw for over 35,000 yards and had 237 touchdown passes making him the best NFL quarterback from the University of Miami.

3 Warren Sapp DT- Buccaneers and Raiders

Warren Sapp may be the best defensive tackle of all time, and clearly one of the best NFL players from the University of Miami. Warren Sapp had 96 sacks which is awesome for a interior defensive lineman. Sapp was a seven time Pro Bowler and four time first team All Pro selection.

2 Ed Reed S- Ravens

The Baltimore Ravens have been blessed with the two best NFL players to come out of the University of Miami in Ed Reed and Ray Lewis. Ed Reed is one of if not the best ball hawks in NFL history. Reed has 54 interceptions including 8 in 2010 despite missing half the season. Reed has scored nine touchdowns and a safety in his NFL career.

1 Ray Lewis LB- Ravens

Ray Lewis is the best NFL player ever, who went to the University of Miami. Lewis may well be the best middle linebacker of all time as well. Ray Lewis is a 12 time Pro Bowler and seven time first team All Pro. Lewis has almost 1,500 tackles and has 38 .5 sacks and 30 interceptions in his career.

Sources

Profootballreference.com