Michigan Football: The Wolverine's Top-25 Since '97 - No. 12
The Wolverine continues its series of the top 25 Michigan players since 1997 with No. 12, Jon Jansen.
Once Jansen got on the field at Michigan, there was no getting him off it, and he was a key member of the offensive unit on the 1997 National Championship team.
Jansen played his high school football at Clawson (Mich.) High, where he played tight end and linebacker. His senior season, Jansen's 31 catches set a school record, and he racked up 420 yards receiving that year, earning him Detroit News Blue Chip accolades.
After redshirting his first year in Ann Arbor, Jansen helped pave the way for 5,140 yards on offense as a redshirt freshman. Jansen was named a co-captain for his junior and senior years at Michigan. As a junior, Jansen protected quarterback Brian Griese and helped lead the Wolverines to 4,652 offensive yards on the way to an undefeated season and the National Championship with a 21-16 win over Washington State in the Rose Bowl.
In 1998, Jansen helped lead the team to a 10-3 record and 4,955 yards of offense. Following the season, Jansen was named a First Team All-American by the Burger King American Football Coaches association. He was also a two time first team All-Big Ten honoree during his Michigan career, and he notched 106 knockdowns during his senior season.
Jansen was selected in the second round of the 1999 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins. He played nine years for Washington, appearing in 126 games for the team and starting 123. Jansen played his final professional season with his hometown team, the Lions. He played 11 games in his one season in Detroit. Since ending his playing career, Jansen has gotten into the media, covering pro football and the Big Ten.
The full list:
No. 12: Jon Jansen
No. 13: Jabrill Peppers
No. 14: Denard Robinson
No. 15: Marlin Jackson
No. 16: Glen Steele
No. 17: David Baas
No. 18: Jourdan Lewis
No. 19: David Harris
No. 20: Ernest Shazor
No. 21: John Navarre
No. 22: Jake Butt
No. 23: David Molk
No. 24: Taco Charlton
No. 25: Jeremy Gallon