The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/418536
for 1,279 yards, the second-highest totals all time for a Wolverine tight end. He was a fifth-round draft pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1999 NFL Draft and played with the club from 1999-2007, finishing his career with the Arizona Cardinals in 2008. Mark Campbell (1995-98): In any other era, Campbell would have been a star. He played behind Tuman for four seasons, however, and eclipsed 10 catches in a season only once, catching 13 passes for 169 yards in 1996. He scored only one touchdown, and that came in the 1997 national championship season; his career totals of 30 receptions for 339 yards, however, don't do him justice. Though he went undrafted in 1999, Campbell latched on with the Cleveland Browns and spent four years with the club (1999-2002). He played for the Buffalo Bills from 2003-05 and finished his career with the New Orleans (2006-08). Bennie Joppru (1999-2002): A four-year letter winner and two- year starter at tight end, Joppru played in 46 career games and made 24 starts. An All-Big Ten second-team selection in 2002, Joppru had 85 career receptions and scored eight touchdowns. He was named to the All-Amer- ica first team by Pro Football Weekly and was a member of the Associated Press third team as a senior after setting a team record in receptions for a tight end (53). Joppru ranked second on the team in receptions and in receiving yards (579) in his final season at Michigan and capped an outstanding senior campaign with a career-best 80 receiving yards in the 2003 Outback Bowl victory over Florida. He went to the Houston Texans in the second round of the 2003 NFL Draft. Injuries prevented him from ever catching a pass in the NFL, though he did play in 19 games, including 13 with Seattle in 2007. — Chris Balas Bennie Joppru posted 85 catches and eight touchdowns at U-M, and he went out on a high note, ranking second on the Wolverines in recep- tions (53) and receiving yards (579) in his senior campaign. PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN