Rookie Blue--Michigan Football RCs: part 7 (2008-2015)

(For all posts in this series click here)

I've got lots of great COMC stuff to post soon, but before I do that I wanted to take care of a lingering project first:  showing off the Michigan Football rookies I've accumulated from complete sets, trades, and purchases.  I broke them down into eight manageable groups so that's how many posts you'll be seeing under this feature.

Each post will include a range of one or more years, and the cards from that range are sorted alphabetically by each player's last name and then by set (uh, mostly--sometimes I goofed on "official" set titles and sorted accordingly).  I'll list each player and card, plus anything done in this style indicates what I consider to be a Michigan uniform photo, regardless of airbrushing, etc.


I originally intended to do two more posts in this series but then I thought, why not finish it up so I can get on to the next thing?  Therefore, I've split up the cards into two sections since that's how I had them scanned.  Finishing with a bang, here's the rest of my original in-hand football RCs from 2008 and 2009-2015!

2008:

• Jamar Adams (2008):  Topps
• Adrian Arrington (2008):  Bowman;  Bowman Chrome
• Shawn Crable (2008):  Bowman;  Topps;  Upper Deck Heroes (#153);  Upper Deck Heroes (#154)
• Mike Hart (2008):  Bowman;  Donruss Gridiron Gear

Adams probably isn't well-known to non-Michigan fans, but he was a pretty good safety for four years and then signed as a UDFA with Seattle in '08.  He got into a few games with the Hawks but his career didn't amount to much, though he did get to appear on nine rookies.  Arrington, Crable, and Hart are each featured to varying degrees here so I don't need to sum up their careers.  Crable's pair of UD Football Heroes cards do allow me to point out how strange it is that each player in the set gets two first-years, but I guess there's nothing wrong with doubling your fun, especially when there's college unis involved!

• Mike Hart (2008, cont.):  SP Rookie Edition;  Topps;  Topps Rookie Progression;  Upper Deck Heroes (#181);  Upper Deck Heroes (#182)
• Chad Henne (2008):  Bowman;  SP Rookie Edition;  Topps;  Topps Rookie Progression

More Hart along with the first of a bunch of Hennes.  Topps Rookie Progression--which has a design I always liked thanks to the great photos--is one of just a few 2008 products represented here that aren't complete sets that I own.  The ones I do possess--Bowman, SP Rookie Edition, Topps, and UD Heroes--get plenty of screen time.

• Chad Henne (2008, cont.):  Upper Deck;  Upper Deck Heroes (#117);  Upper Deck Heroes (#118)
• Jake Long (2008):  Bowman;  SP Rookie Edition;  Topps;  Topps Rookie Progression;  Upper Deck Heroes (#151);  Upper Deck Heroes (#152)

This scan is fun since Henne and Long were Miami's second- and first-round picks in '08.  There's a bunch of college photos thanks to two each from UD Heroes and another Topps Rookie Progression example.  Upper Deck also makes its first of two appearances here with the scan's first Henne.  I'm actually not too far off from completing Chad's first-year run.

• Mario Manningham (2008):  Bowman;  SP Rookie Edition;  Topps;  UD Masterpieces;  Upper Deck;  Upper Deck Draft Edition;  Upper Deck Heroes (#177);  Upper Deck Heroes (#178)

And finally, Super Mario gets his own scan as he had the most cards with eight.  A few of the previously-mentioned sets are included with the addition of UD Masterpieces, a set that more than lives up to its name, and UD Draft Edition, another fun college-themed set that includes some of my favorite photos.

That closes the book on my all-time favorite draft class, but here's a couple scans worth of issues of more recent players.  These years produced a dearth of Michigan-to-NFL talent so there's not much to see!

2009-2015:

• Devin Funchess (2015):  Bowman
• Jeremy Gallon (2014):  Upper Deck
• Brandon Graham (2010):  Donruss Elite;  Panini Threads;  Score;  Topps
• Tim Jamison (2009):  Upper Deck Draft Edition
• Taylor Lewan (2014):  Upper Deck
• Mike Martin (2012):  SP Authentic

2015 Carolina Panthers draftee Devin Funchess is first alphabetically in this group and appears as part of my complete 2015 Score set which features a nifty college photo.  2014 teammates Jeremy Gallon and Taylor Lewan also get in on the college photo action thanks to Upper Deck.  Quality Eagles OLB Brandon Graham is represented four times, including cards from my complete 2010 Score and Topps sets.  DE Tim Jamison has played parts of six seasons with Houston and gets in on the act with a 2009 UD Draft entry.  Finally, one-man wrecking crew Mike Martin gets some love from 2012 SP Authentic.

• David Molk (2012):  SP Authentic
• Denard Robinson (2013):  Panini Prizm;  Topps
• Roy Roundtree (2013):  Upper Deck
• Terrance Taylor (2009):  Bowman Draft
• Morgan Trent (2009):  Upper Deck

And Martin is joined by former teammate and OL linchpin David Molk from the same set.  Two Denards go on the pile with many more still to chase.  WR Roy Roundtree, who was snake-oiled away from the tire fire that is Purdue, gets a cool horizontal action shot wearing the Desmond Howard Legends Patch.  DL Terrance Taylor was the only Michigan rep in 2009 Bowman Draft but he arguably got the best photo.  Lastly, here's a Morgan Trent RC I received in a great trade package from Doug.

Now that this series is over I'll try to mix things up a bit with other content, though I'll have a number of similar posts thanks to large pickups from COMC and Sportlots!