Michael Westbrook (2016) - CU Athletic Hall of Fame - University of Colorado Athletics

Michael Westbrook

Induction:
2016
Class:
1995

A two-time first-team All American, as he made the AFCA and Walter Camp teams as a senior in 1994 and the NEA squad as a sophomore in 1992 (the Associated Press tabbed him a second-teamer in ’92; United Press International selected him honorable mention both years) … A Playboy Preseason All-American prior to his senior year … A two-time first-team All-Big Eight performer as a sophomore and a senior, he became only the third Buffalo receiver to earn all-league honors and was the first to be named twice … Exited his career as CU’s all-time leader in both receptions (167) and receiving yards (2,548)… On the receiving end, via a Blake Anderson tip, of college football’s play of the decade if not the century when he hauled down a 64-yard pass from Kordell Stewart after time expired to rally CU to a 27-26 win at Michigan in 1994 … That play won an ESPY as the national play of the year in all sports (he’s got the actual ESPY since he caught the ball) … CU’s most outstanding offensive player (John Mack Award winner) as selected by the coaches for his sophomore season, when he caught a then-school record 76 passes for 1,060 yards … Had eight career 100-yard games (six of 128 or more), and caught nine or more passes three times, including a then-school record 11 for 186 yards at Baylor as a sophomore … Played four snaps on defense at safety his junior year (all against Baylor) … Was named the MVP in the ’95 East-West Shrine game … A first round pick by Washington in the 1995 NFL Draft (No. 4 overall; among CU players, only Bo Matthews at No. 2 in 1974 was drafted higher, with Byron White also a fourth pick to Pittsburgh in 1938) … He played in 80 games with Washington over seven seasons (1995-2001) and in nine more for Cincinnati in 2002 (catching 285 passes for 4,374 yards and 26 TDs) … On the regional ballot for the College Football Hall of Fame for the first time in 2016, but he did not advance to the national ballot.