Three Miami football players best to wear their jersey number in CFB history

KNOXVILLE,TN - NOVEMBER 9: (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE,TN - NOVEMBER 9: (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 3
Next

Taylor finished the 2002 season third on the Miami football team with 87 tackles, had four interceptions for 122 yards in returns and added three punt returns for 101 yards including a 78-yard punt return touchdown against Pittsburgh. Manny Navarro wrote up the summaries for Taylor, Lewis and Sapp for

The Athletic

.

"26: Sean Taylor, Miami The 6-3, 225-pound hard-hitting All-American safety became an idol for thousands of high school and college players over the past two decades. He played a role for an all-time great national championship team in 2001 as a freshman, then intercepted 14 passes in two years as a starter. — Manny Navarro"

Taylor had one of the greatest individual seasons in the great history of the Miami football program as a junior in 2003. The legendary safety led the country with 10 interceptions for 184 yards and an astounding three TDs. Taylor added five kickoff returns for a modest 53 yards and three punt returns for 87.

The 10 interceptions by Taylor in 2003, tied the Miami school record set by Bennie Blades in 1986. Taylor ended his Miami career with 14 career interceptions which are fifth in program history. Reed is first with 21 and Blades second with 19. Taylor added 77 tackles and was the Big East Defensive Player of the Year.

Ray Lewis is one of the most polarizing players in the history of the Miami football program. Lewis became a superstar in a Hall of Fame career with the Baltimore Ravens. The induction speech Lewis gave for the Hall of Fame is one of the most mesmerizing in history. Lewis is fifth in Miami history with 388 tackles in three seasons.

Lewis was famously the last scholarship Miami offered in 1993. Sapp and Lewis teamed together to give the Hurricanes a lethal duo in the center of the Miami defense during the middle 1990s. Lewis set the Miami single-season record with 152 total tackles in 1994 and broke his own record with 160 in 1995.