Two Michigan Football Quarterbacks Rank Among Top 100 Since 2000

ESPN's Bill Connelly ranked the top 100 quarterbacks since 2000 in college football, and the Wolverines had two of them on the list.

Published on Feb. 28, 2026

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Michigan has been known for its smash-mouth rushing attack, but the program has also produced some incredible quarterbacks over the years. In fact, ESPN's Bill Connelly ranked the top 100 quarterbacks since the year 2000 in college football, and the Wolverines had two of them on the list - J.J. McCarthy and Denard Robinson.

Why it matters

Michigan is one of the most storied college football programs, and the fact that they have had two quarterbacks ranked among the top 100 since 2000 speaks to the talent and success the program has had at the position over the past two decades.

The details

J.J. McCarthy, who played for the Wolverines from 2021-23, was ranked 100th on the list. During his three-year career, he led Michigan to three College Football Playoff appearances and a national championship in 2023. He was a two-time All-Big Ten award winner and the 2023 Big Ten QB of the Year. Denard Robinson, who played from 2009-12, was ranked 58th on the list. He had a unique skillset, rushing for 4,495 yards - the NCAA record for a quarterback - while also throwing for 6,250 yards and 49 touchdowns.

  • J.J. McCarthy played for Michigan from 2021-23.
  • Denard Robinson played for Michigan from 2009-12.

The players

J.J. McCarthy

A highly-touted recruit who played quarterback for Michigan from 2021-23, leading the team to three College Football Playoff appearances and a national championship in 2023. He was a two-time All-Big Ten award winner and the 2023 Big Ten QB of the Year.

Denard Robinson

Played quarterback for Michigan from 2009-12, setting the NCAA record for career rushing yards by a quarterback with 4,495. He threw for 6,250 yards and 49 touchdowns during his career.

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What they’re saying

“It was always difficult to figure out how to evaluate McCarthy, who just wasn't asked to do as much as some of his peers thanks to elite defense and a relentless running game. But he still finished 2023 third in Total QBR, and he went 27-1 as a starter. That seems decent, yeah.”

— Bill Connelly, ESPN Analyst (ESPN)

“Maybe the single-best moment of the Rich Rod era at Michigan was signing Robinson, who captured fans' imaginations and averaged more than 2,000 passing yards and 1,300 rushing yards over his last three seasons. We're used to stats like that now. We weren't a decade ago. We weren't 15 years ago.”

— Bill Connelly, ESPN Analyst (ESPN)

The takeaway

Michigan's success at the quarterback position over the past two decades, with two players ranking among the top 100 since 2000, highlights the program's ability to develop talent and field competitive teams year after year, despite its reputation as a run-first offense.