Welcome to post #1 in this series. How many there will be is totally up in the air as I don't plan to consistently post a specific number of cards each time. I doubt I'll even always have a theme in mind as I do these, so anything goes! Today's post does have a theme, though--each one of these players had exactly one rookie card, so I'm showing them off together while giving a quick bit of info about the guys that haven't made an appearance here yet (which is most of them).
Bobby Abrams 1992 Pacific RC
Michigan uniform?: No
Position(s): DB/LB
Drafted?: Undrafted
Pro career: 1990-95
Team(s): Giants, Browns, Cowboys, Vikings, Patriots
Notes: Good OLB for excellent late-80s Michigan teams; ugly Pacific logo and vertical text, but a solid photo!
Corwin Brown 1994 Collector's Choice RC
Michigan uniform?: No
Position(s): S
Drafted?: 1993 4th round, Patriots
Pro career: 1993-2000
Team(s): Patriots, Jets, Lions
Notes: More well-known as coach (generally DBs), especially Notre Dame and Patriots; involved in police standoff in 2011
Stevie Brown 2013 Topps RC
Michigan uniform?: No
Position(s): DB
Drafted?: 2010 7th round, Raiders
Pro career: 2010-14
Team(s): Raiders, Colts, Giants
Notes: Played both LB and DB in college, improved each season; blew up for 8 INT in 2012; had to wait until 2013 Topps for his RC (I guess that high INT count helped, eh?)
Chris Calloway 1990 Action Packed Rookie Update RC
Michigan uniform?: No
Position(s): WR
Drafted?: 1990 4th round, Steelers
Pro career: 1990-2000
Team(s): Steelers, Giants, Falcons, Patriots
Notes: Spent the bulk of his career (92-98) with the Giants and did fairly well with them; who else misses Action Packed?!
Joe Cocozzo 1993 Pro Set RC
Michigan uniform?: No
Position(s): G
Drafted?: 1993 3rd round, Chargers
Pro career: 1993-97
Team(s): Chargers
Notes: Very good OL for some good early-90s Michigan teams; played lots and started many games for '94 AFC champ Chargers; I'm surprised I hadn't heard of him before I started this project; Pro Set really changed a lot from year-to-year!
Dean Dingman 1991 Score RC
Michigan uniform?: Yes! (airbrushed helmet)
About: discussed in this post
Notes: Very nice college photo of an OL blocking!
Charles Drake 2003 Upper Deck MVP RC
Michigan uniform?: Yes! 100%
Position(s): S
Drafted?: 2003 7th round, Giants
Pro career: None
Team(s): Giants
Notes: Drake is one of several Wolverines in this set, which has full-on Wolverines unis with zero airbrushing!; sadly, Drake passed away in 2012
Mike Evans 1992 Skybox Prime Time RC
Michigan uniform?: No
Position(s): DL
Drafted?: 1992 4th round, Chiefs
Pro career: 1992
Team(s): Chargers
Notes: Fleer/Skybox made some wonky sets in the 90s!; had a pretty nice career as DL for Michigan in the early 90s
Jonathan Goodwin 2005 Topps Total RC (with Kevin Mawae and Jason Fabini)
Michigan uniform?: No
Position(s): C
Drafted?: 2002 5th round, Jets
Pro career: 2002-2014
Team(s): Jets, Saints, 49ers
Notes: 2002 rookie had to wait until '05 for a RC--them's the breaks for OL; was starting C for Super Bowl XLIV champ Saints in 2009-10
James Hall 2004 Topps Total RC (with Robert Porcher)
Michigan uniform?: No
Position(s): DE
Drafted?: Undrafted
Pro career: 2000-2011
Team(s): Lions, Rams
Notes: 63.0 career sacks, including 11.5 in 2004 and 10.5 in 2010; won a national championship with the 1997 Wolverines; had to wait until 2004 for his RC, shared with quality DL stalwart Robert Porcher (who was in his final season)
Mercury Hayes 1996 Collector's Choice RC
Michigan uniform?: Yes! (airbrushed helmet and jersey)
About: discussed in this post
Notes: One of two '96 Collector's Choice cards in this post!
Tommy Hendricks 2000 Leaf Limited RC (#0323/1500)
Michigan uniform?: No
Position(s): DB, LB
Drafted?: Undrafted
Pro career: 2000-04
Team(s): Dolphins, Jaguars
Notes: Was the starting FS for the '97 national champs; funny that his only RC is a higher-end, numbered Leaf Limited card!; father Thomas Jr. was RB for Wolverines in the mid-50s
Roy Manning 2005 Sweet Spot RC (#777/899)
Michigan uniform?: No
Position(s): LB
Drafted?: Undrafted
Pro career: 2005-07
Team(s): Packers, Texans, Bengals
Notes: Another high-end, numbered one-and-done!; Manning is known more around these parts as a coach--he coached Michigan's LBs and DBs in 2013 and 2014, respectively, and is now with WSU
Steve Morrison 1998 UD Choice RC
Michigan uniform?: No
Position(s): LB
Drafted?: Undrafted
Pro career: 1995-98
Team(s): Colts
Notes: One of my favorite Collector's Choice/UD Choice designs; had a pretty nice career coaching in high school and then college
Jon Runyan 1996 Collector's Choice RC
Michigan uniform?: Yes! (airbrushed helmet)
Position(s): OT
Drafted?: 1996 4th round, Oilers/Titans
Pro career: 1996-2009
Team(s): Oilers/Titans, Eagles, Chargers
Notes: I have one auto of his but haven't gone into detail about his career; excellent tackle went on to enjoy a long NFL career; former member of the U.S. House of Representatives (R, NJ); he's our other '96 Collector's Choice card today, and he and Hayes join Tim Biakabutuka from that set
Andre Weathers 2000 Pacific RC
Michigan uniform?: No
Position(s): DB
Drafted?: 1999 6th round, Giants
Pro career: 1999-2000
Team(s): Giants
Notes: One of the nicer (read: not eye-destroying) Pacific sets!; his pick-six beat the Buckeyes during Michigan's '97 title run
I hope some of you, especially my fellow Michigan fans, found this look at one RC players interesting! Look for lots more posts in this series soon.
