Michigan Football: The Wolverine's Top-25 Since '97 - No. 16

The Wolverine continues its series of the top 25 Michigan players since 1997 with No. 16, Glen Steele.

Steele was a crucial member of the Michigan defense on the 1997 national championship team, leading the Wolverines' defensive front.

A native of Ligonier, Ind., Steele redshrited his first season in Ann Arbor in 1993. Steele then quickly asserted himself as a force on the defensive line. Michigan went 8-4 and 9-4 in his first two seasons on the field and Steele's eight sacks in the 1995 season is currently tied for No. 15 on the Michigan season sacks list.

After going 8-4 again in the 1996 season, Steele and Michigan went undefeated in the 1997 season, with wins over top-5 teams Penn State and Ohio State before defeating Washington State in the Rose Bowl and claiming the National Championship.

In the 1997 season, Steele lead the team with seven sacks, as well as notching a team leading 14 tackles for loss. Two of Steele's sacks that season came on the final possession of the Ohio State game, helping to seal the 20-14 Wolverine victory. Steele was named All-Big Ten in 1997 as well as an All-American by the American Football Coaches Association.

Steele ranks seventh in school history in both career tackles for loss and career fumble recoveries, with 45 and 5, respectively. He is also tied for fourth in career sacks as a Wolverine with 24.

The Cincinnati Bengals picked Steele in the fourth round, pick 105, of the 1998 NFL Draft. Steele played in 80 straight games for the team before being cut following the 2003 season. He tallied 69 tackles, 3.5 sacks and one fumble recovery in his NFL career.

The full list:

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