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

After the 1995 season, Lewis left for the NFL. Lewis finished his Miami career as an All-American and runner-up to Kevin Hardy of Illinois for the Butkus Award per Navarro. In December 2019, Lewis was one of 12 LBs named to the NFL 100-Year All-Time team. Navarro summed up Lewis’ accomplishments with Miami.

"“52: Ray Lewis, Miami One of the NFL’s greatest linebackers didn’t win any championships in his time with the Hurricanes (1993-95), but he earned All-American honors in his final two years, finished runner-up to Kevin Hardy for the Butkus Award as a junior in 1995 and ranks sixth all-time in tackles at The U. — Manny Navarro”"

Warren Sapp is one of the most charismatic players in the history of the Miami football program. Sapp was a dominant defensive tackle playing in front of Lewis in 1994 and ’95. Incredibly Sapp finished sixth in the Heisman Trophy balloting in 1994 with 17 first-place votes, 37 second and 67 third.

Despite playing defensive tackle, Sapp’s 10.5 sacks in 1994 tie him for 10th all-time for a single season in the history of the Miami Football program. In 1994, Sapp won the Lombardi Award as the best player in college football, Bronko Nagurski Trophy as its best player and was the unanimous Big East Defensive Player of the Year.

Sapp was also named a unanimous All-American in 1994, something only five other players accomplished that season including Hardy’s former Illinois teammate Dana Howard. Sapp is one of the greatest defensive tackles and defensive linemen in Miami history and his skill was compared to a pair of top-three NFL Draft picks.

"76: Warren Sapp, Miami The only Lombardi Award winner in Hurricanes history had the power of Cortez Kennedy and the quickness of Russell Maryland, according to teammate Mark Caesar. The outspoken defensive tackle, future Super Bowl winner and NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1999) was even a Heisman finalist in 1994. — Manny Navarro"

Twenty-seven other Miami players were named honorable mention on the list including many of the names already mentioned. That list would accomplish an incredible all-time team in Miami history. Studying the history of the Miami football program is learning about the best players in the history of college football.

Twenty-three of the 27 players named to the list came in the modern era of Miami football that commenced with the hiring of Howard Schnellenberger in 1979. The amount of talent Miami has produced since is unprecedented. It all culminated when six Hurricanes players were selected in the first round of the 2004 NFL Draft.