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Michigan football: 5 great players who didn’t live up to the NFL hype

By Cody Williams

University of Michigan's Chad Henne (7) calls signals during a game against Minnesota at Michigan Stadium on October 8, 2005 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Minnesota won the game 23-20. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
University of Michigan's Chad Henne (7) calls signals during a game against Minnesota at Michigan Stadium on October 8, 2005 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Minnesota won the game 23-20. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /
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Michigan football overrated players, NFL busts
Michigan football (Photo by G. N. Lowrance/Getty Images) /

Mike Hart was an NFL bust.

There was no time wasted when Mike Hart arrived in Ann Arbor in letting the Wolverines faithful that he was going to be a star for the program. In his true freshman season, he set a school freshman record as he rushed for 1,455 yards. He also added nine touchdowns along with 26 receptions and 237 yards with another score. That was just the beginning of what Hart would accomplish though.

Unfortunately, Hart’s sophomore season was less than ideal as he dealt with a hamstring injury that caused him to miss time and be limited in some games. Still, he finished with 662 yards rushing and four scores. He bounced back as a junior, though, with a healthy 1,562 yards and 14 touchdowns. That season was good enough for Hart to finish fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting.

He picked up where he left off the previous season for his final campaign with Michigan as he was leading the country in rushing for the first half of the year. An ankle injury ultimately cost him that distinction but he still finished the year with 1,361 yards and 14 touchdowns. Hart finished his college career as the Wolverines’ all-time leader in rushing yards and in 100-yard rushing games (28) while placing third in career rushing touchdowns.

Though he was a dominant force in college, he wasn’t selected until the sixth round of the 2008 NFL Draft and was immediately buried on the Colts depth chart. Playing in only 21 games over three seasons, Hart finished his career with just 71 carries for 264 yards and two touchdowns. Suffice it to say that he was never the player in the pros that he was while at Michigan.

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