The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/848029
40 THE WOLVERINE AUGUST 2017 BY CHRIS BALAS M ichigan still has some outstanding talent in the NFL, and replenished it by sending 11 more via this year 's draft. Football isn't the only sport in which U-M is well stocked at the highest level, though. In fact, bas- ketball is making a run not seen since the 1990s, and the Wolverines are also well represented on the ice. Here's our annual list of U-M's best professional athletes from the four major sports: 1. TOM BRADY, QB NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (NFL) It's Brady and then everybody else on this list after the 39-year-old's latest Super Bowl title and MVP honor. The former Michigan signal-caller solidi- fied his legacy as perhaps the greatest NFL quarterback ever with his come- from-behind win over Atlanta, lead- ing the Pats from 25 points down to a championship and earning a fifth ring. Brady, who turns 40 in August, still has shown no signs of slowing down. He's won too many awards to mention, is a 12-time Pro Bowl selection (including last season), two-time first-team All-Pro, two-time NFL MVP and Offensive Player of the Year, and a five-time Super Bowl champion while earning MVP hon- ors in the big game four times. He finished last year 's regular season with 3,554 passing yards despite missing four games due to the Deflategate ordeal, suspended over allegations that he had knowl- edge of underinflated footballs in the 2014-15 playoffs. He threw for 28 touchdowns against only two inter- ceptions and completed 64.7 percent of his passes, the second-best effort of his 17-year career. He also earned status as the NFL's No. 1 player on NFL Network's recent Top 100 list, voted on by the league's players. 2. TAYLOR LEWAN, OT TENNESSEE TITANS (NFL) Lewan has started 37 of the 42 games in which he's appeared in his three years and was the team's starting left tackle in all 16 games last season. Some believed he was destined to move to the right side, but he responded with the best season of his career on the blind side and made his first Pro Bowl. The Titans picked up the fifth-year option on Lewan's rookie contract in April. Days later, he was ranked No. 72 on NFL Network's Top 100 Players of 2017 list, voted on by his peers in the league. "I don't think I'm the best tackle in the NFL," Lewan said. "I think I've played the best of all the tackles this year, but I haven't earned that right." His opponents might not like him because of his nastiness, but they cer- tainly respect him. "He's definitely a top-100 type tackle," Green Bay defensive lineman Mike Daniels said. "He's a jerk. But if you know me, I love the jerks. I love the mean guys … that dude's a warrior." STILL THE ONE Tom Brady Tops U-M's List Of The Best Current Professionals Coming off a season in which he won a fifth Super Bowl title and fourth Super Bowl MVP honor, the soon-to-be 40-year-old Brady has shown no signs of slowing down. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS/DAVID SILVERMAN