Miami's football history stretches across every era of ESPN's new list of the best college football player ever to wear each jersey number.
ESPN selected five former Hurricanes: wide receiver Michael Irvin wearing No. 47, linebacker Ray Lewis wearing No. 52, defensive tackle Russell Maryland wearing No. 67, defensive tackle Warren Sapp wearing No. 76 and offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie wearing No. 78.
The group covers Miami's rise in the 1980s, the defensive stars of the 1990s and the program's loaded 2001 national championship team.
Ranking the best college football players of all time by jersey number 👀 https://t.co/kcc1h0xVS4
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) July 2, 2026
No. 47 Michael Irvin
Irvin still owns Miami's career record with 26 touchdown catches. He finished with 143 receptions and 2,423 receiving yards, numbers that remain among the best in program history. He led Miami in receiving yards in each of his three seasons as a starter.
His best moments came during Miami's 1987 national championship season. Irvin caught two 4th-quarter touchdown passes in the 26-25 win at Florida State, then scored the game-winning touchdown in Miami's Orange Bowl victory over Oklahoma.
No. 52 Ray Lewis
Lewis remains sixth in Miami history with 388 career tackles. He recorded 152 tackles in 1994 and set a school record with 160 in 1995. He earned first-team All-America honors in his final season and finished as the runner-up for the Butkus Award.
No. 67 Russell Maryland
Maryland logged 96 tackles, recorded 10.5 sacks, forced five fumbles and added 19 quarterback pressures as a senior. He won the Outland Trophy and was a unanimous All-American.
Maryland also helped Miami win national championships in 1987 and 1989 before becoming the first overall pick in the 1991 NFL Draft.
No. 76 Warren Sapp
Sapp posted 84 tackles, 10.5 sacks, four forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries while leading Miami's defense. He won the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and the Rotary Lombardi Award, while also earning Big East Defensive Player of the Year honors.
Miami went 10-2 in 1994 and Sapp was the centerpiece of a defense that carried the Hurricanes through much of the season.
No. 78 Bryant McKinnie
After transferring from Lackawanna Junior College and sitting out the 1999 season, McKinnie became a two-year starter for Miami. He won the 2001 Outland Trophy, earned unanimous All-America honors and helped anchor the offensive line for the 2001 national championship team.
One of McKinnie's defining 2001 performances came against Syracuse, when he held All-America defensive end Dwight Freeney without a sack across 52 plays in Miami's 59-0 win. He capped his Hurricanes career as the only offensive lineman in program history to win the Outland Trophy.
9 Miami players were considered but did not receive the final selection
Bennie Blades appeared twice.
- No. 13, QB Gino Torretta: ESPN selected Caleb Williams at No. 13.
- No. 14, QB Vinny Testaverde: ESPN selected Ty Detmer at No. 14.
- No. 20, S Ed Reed: ESPN selected Earl Campbell at No. 20.
- No. 26, S Sean Taylor: ESPN selected Saquon Barkley at No. 26.
- No. 27, S Bennie Blades: ESPN selected Eddie George at No. 27.
- No. 36, DB Bennie Blades: ESPN selected Chris Spielman at No. 36.
- No. 56, LB Micheal Barrow: ESPN selected Virginia Tech's Corey Moore at No. 56.
- No. 89, LB Ted Hendricks: ESPN selected Notre Dame's Ross Browner at No. 89.
- No. 96, DT Cortez Kennedy: ESPN selected Oregon's Haloti Ngata at No. 96.
- No. 96, DE Danny Stubbs: ESPN selected Ngata at No. 96.
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