Miami Hurricanes Football Factory: Top NFL Products Of The Past 20 Years

After a six-year hiatus, the Hurricanes football program is once again stacked with NFL prospects.

Thanks to head coach Randy Shannon's ability to recruit, Miami is loaded up with great talent at several key positions.

Whether these recruits will bring Miami back to the top of the college football landscape remains to be seen.

The one thing we can deduce is that we'll definitely be seeing more Hurricanes being selected by NFL teams in the next few April drafts.

Miami has been training future pro football greats for some time now.

You can look back to Ted Hendricks, Jim Kelly, Michael Irvin, and many many others for former Hurricane greats that became NFL Pro Bowl-caliber players.

While players such as Gino Torretta and Ken Dorsey had a bigger impact on the Miami football program while on campus, we will be looking at those whose talent and production translated seamlessly into pro football as well.

In order to not have to make the list 50 deep, our slide-show will be limited to a list of the 20 best Hurricanes to turn pro and make an impact in the NFL during the last two decades.

20. Michael Barrow

Michael Barrow was drafted in the second round of the 1993 NFL Draft by the Houston Oilers. He played linebacker for 12 seasons, and on five teams in the NFL.

20. (Tie) Vernon Carey

Vernon Carey was drafted 19th overall in the first round of the 2004 NFL Draft.

During his pro career he has been a starter for the Miami Dolphins and has had several productive seasons at both the guard and tackle positions.

19. Dan Morgan

Selected 11th overall in the first round of the 2001 NFL Draft, Morgan was a hard-nosed/high motor linebacker.

He made a Pro Bowl as a Carolina Panther in 2004. Morgan's career was cut short because of injury problems.

18. Kellen Winslow II

Taken with the sixth overall pick in the first round of the 2004 NFL Draft, Winslow hasn't had the same success that he enjoyed in college.

Still he did make a Pro Bowl in 2007, and is an extremely talented player.

While he may be a "Soldier," he hasn't been able to stay healthy as much as he'd like. If he could put his injuries behind him Winslow may still have several productive years ahead of him.

1 (Tie). Leon Searcy & Vince Wilfork

Leon Searcy was the 11th selection in the first round of the 1992 NFL Draft.

He was a key member of offensive lines in Pittsburgh and Jacksonville. Searcy made his only Pro Bowl appearance in 1999 and is now retired after a solid career.

Vince Wilfork

Taken with the 21st pick of the first round in 2004, Wilfork has been a solid defensive tackle for the New England Patriots.

He is a two time Pro Bowler and was a second team All Pro selection.

Wilfork won a Super Bowl with New England.

16. (Tie) Antrel Rolle & Ryan McNeil

The eighth overall player taken in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft, Rolle recently signed a big contract with the New York Giants.

Rolle converted from a corner to a safety and it paid dividends with a monster deal this off-season. He has had a few productive seasons and only figures to get better.

He made his first Pro Bowl appearance in 2009.

Ryan McNeil

McNeil was taken in the second round by the Detroit Lions.

He played for six NFL teams and led the league in with 9 interceptions in 1997.

McNeil was selected to the 2001 Pro Bowl

15. Russell Maryland

Maryland was the first overall pick of the 1991 NFL Draft.

Jimmy Johnson had just taken over in Dallas for legendary coach Tom Landry when he chose to take Maryland with the Cowboys top choice.

He played on three Super Bowl champion teams during his career.

He also made a Pro Bowl appearance in 1993.

15. (Tie) Bryant McKinnie

The seventh selection in the first round of the 2002 NFL Draft, McKinnie is a starting tackle for the Minnesota Vikings.

McKinnie has had more ups than downs as a pro and was key in luring the nation's top ranked recruit, Seantrel Henderson, to Miami this off-season.

He was selected to his first Pro Bowl in 2009.

14. Bubba Franks

The 14th selection in the first round of the 2000 NFL Draft, Franks was a go-to-guy for Brett Favre for several seasons in Green Bay.

Franks was a red-zone favorite and finished with 32 touchdowns.

He was selected to three NFL Pro Bowls during his career.

14. (Tie) Willis McGahee

One can only wonder how great Willis McGahee could have been if not for the horrible knee injury he sustained in his last collegiate game.

As is he shocked all skeptics by still going 23rd in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft.

McGahee has more than 50 touchdowns in the NFL, and made the Pro Bowl in 2007.

13. Devin Hester

Devin Hester was drafted in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He instantly set about proving why he should have been taken much higher.

Thanks to his electrifying speed and elusiveness, Hester has been selected to two Pro Bowls, and two NFL All Pro Teams.

He has excelled as a returns specialist but is also a starting wide receiver for the Chicago Bears.

12. Santana Moss

Santana was taken with the 16th pick in the first round of the 2001 NFL Draft.

He was named to the Pro Bowl in 2005 and is a two-time NFL All Pro selection.

11. (Tie) Frank Gore & Jessie Armstead

Gore was a third-round steal in the 2005 NFL Draft. He has quickly become one of the most versatile and productive backs in the NFL.

He has been named to two Pro Bowl teams.

Gore was the NFL rushing leader in 2006 and was a second team All Pro selection that year as well.

Jessie Armstead

The biggest late round draft steal of any Hurricane in the past 20 years, Armstead was an eight round selection by the New York Giants.

Armstead proved to be a solid linebacker for 12 years in the NFL.

He was a five time Pro Bowl player and a four time All Pro team selection.

10. Jeremy Shockey

Shockey was the 14th pick of the first round in the 2002 NFL Draft.

He earned Rookie of the Year honors in his first season as a pro. He was also named to the NFL All-Pro team in 2002.

Shockey has been named to four Pro Bowls and has been a member of two Super Bowl championship teams.

9. Sean Taylor

Sean Taylor was the fifth overall selection of the 2004 NFL Draft.

During his pro career Taylor quickly emerged as one of the leagues best safeties. He made two pro bowls and was an All-Pro selection in 2007.

Had it not been for his untimely murder, Taylor may very well have proven to be better than Hurricane/Raven great Ed Reed.

8. Clinton Portis

Clinton Portis was a second round selection by the Denver Broncos in the 2002 NFL Draft.

It's incredible that so many less talented backs were selected before him. During his career as a pro Portis has proven to be a capable play-maker.

He was named the Rookie of the Year in 2002 and has made two Pro Bowl appearances.

7. Reggie Wayne

The 30th selection in the first round of the 2001 NFL Draft, Wayne has become the key target for Peyton Manning.

Wayne is a four-time Pro Bowler.

He has also been named to two All-Pro teams and won a Super Bowl as a member of the Indianapolis Colts.

6. Cortez Kennedy

The third overall pick in the first round of the 1990 NFL Draft, Kennedy had a stellar career as a pro player.

He was named to eight Pro Bowls and was a three-time All-Pro selection.

Kennedy was the 1992 NFL Defensive player of the year and was named to the All-Decade team of the 1990s.

5. Edgerrin James

The fourth pick in the first round of the 1999 NFL Draft, James was a force at tailback for several seasons.

He was the first in what has been a steady line of great Hurricane backs to turn pro since the late 90s.

James was the Rookie of the Year in 1999. He was named to four Pro Bowls and was a two-time All-Pro selection. James was also named to the NFL All-Decade Team of the 2000's.

4. Warren Sapp

Warren Sapp was taken in the first round with the 12th overall pick of the 1995 NFL Draft.

During his career Sapp was a productive defensive player on the field, and a colorful character off of it.

Sapp appeared in seven Pro Bowls and was a four-time NFL All-Pro selection. He was also named to the team of the decade for both the 90's and 2000's.

Sapp was the NFL Defensive MVP in 1999 and won a Super Bowl as a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

3. Andre Johnson

The third pick in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft, Johnson is quickly rising on the list of all-time Hurricanes to turn into NFL greats.

Johnson is a bonafide star receiver for the Houston Texans.

He has led the league in receiving yards two years already. Johnson has also been named to the Pro Bowl four times, and has been selected to the All-Pro team twice. 

2. Ed Reed

Ed Reed was taken with the 24th pick in the first round of the 2002 NFL Draft.

Bet 23 teams wish they could have a second chance at selecting him before he fell to the Baltimore Ravens that year.

Reed has been named to six Pro Bowl and All-Pro teams. He led the NFL in interceptions twice, and holds the record for longest interception returned for a touchdown (107 yards).

He was the 2004 NFL Defensive Player of the Year.

If he can rebound from an injury, Reed is poised to go down as the greatest Hurricane ever to go pro.

1. Ray Lewis

Ray Lewis slid to the 26th overall pick of the 1996 NFL Draft before being taken by the Baltimore Ravens.

Since that time he has been an unparalleled defensive force during his time in the league.

Ray has been named to 11 Pro Bowls, a record for an NFL linebacker.

He is a nine-time All-Pro selection. A two-time NFL Defensive MVP. and three-time AFC Defensive MVP.

He was the fastest member to join the 20 sack/20 interception Club and was named to the NFL All Decade team of the 2000s.

Lewis won a Super Bowl with the Ravens and is a Hall of Fame lock once he retires.