Editor’s note: This is the seventh article in a series ranking the top 10 Iowa football players at each position on offense and defense. Up next, defensive backs.

By Pat Harty

IOWA CITY, Iowa – It took until 1977 for the Iowa football team to finally have a linebacker make first-team All-Big Ten.

Dubuque native Tom Rusk earned that distinction, and he was the only Hawkeye to make first-team all-conference for a team that finished 5-6 overall that season.

Eleven different Iowa linebackers have since made first-team All-Big Ten led by Larry Station being recognized three times.

This column ranks the top 10 linebackers in the history of the Iowa football program and is the seventh in a series in which the top 10 Iowa players are being ranked at each position.

Again, a reminder that these rankings are based solely on what the linebackers accomplished in college.

I also want to take this oppotunity to pay tribute to former Iowa linebacker Todd Simonsen.

He didn’t make the top 10, but from a personal standpoint, he’s my favorite Iowa linebacker, and will always be my favorite.

Todd and my older brother, Frank Harty, were both in Iowa’s 1978 recruiting class, and they both played linebacker, and became close friends.

And while my brother’s career was cut short by a staph infection in 1979, Todd would go on to be a key piece in the rebuild under Hayden Fry, a tough and rugged linebacker, and a groomsmen in my brother’s wedding.

Todd passed away from lymphoma in 2007, but his legacy, which includes being a starter on Iowa’s 1981 Rose Bowl team, will live on forever.

10. Fred Barr, 1999-02 – This final pick came down to three players: Fred Barr, John Derby and Leven Weiss as all three made first-team All-Big as seniors.

Barr was given the slight edge due partly to having helped lay the foundation under Kirk Ferentz.

A native of Plantation, Florida, Barr was in Ferentz’s first recruiting class in 1999, along with defensive tackle and fellow South Florida native Colin Cole.

They both would help lead the resurgence under Ferentz as multi-year starters.

Barr made first-team All-Big Ten in 2002 when he led Iowa with 114 tackles.

Iowa won just one game in Barr’s first season as a Hawkeye in 1999, but then set a school record with 11 wins during his senior season in 2002.

Barr played a significant role in each of his four seasons at Iowa and he finished his career with 376 tackles to rank eighth on Iowa’s all-time list.

He took a chance on Iowa when the program was struggling and then helped change the culture under Kirk Ferentz with his play on the field and with his leadership.

9. Mel Cole, 1978-81 – The Chicago native was a key piece to Iowa’s 1981 defense that paved the way to the Rose Bowl, and that still is considered arguably the best defense in program history.

He made first-team all-Big Ten as a senior in 1981 and was also named Iowa’s Most Valuable Player that season.

He led Iowa in tackles in 1980 and 1981 and finished his career with 244 tackles.

8. Andre Jackson, 1972-75 – The Dixmoor, Illinois native is the only walk-on to make the top 10, and is also the only player on the list that didn’t make first-team All-Big Ten.

But don’t let that fool you because he was a tackling machine from the moment he joined the team.

He recorded at least 20 tackles in six games as a Hawkeye, including a career-high 22 against Michigan State as a freshman in 1972, and he finished his career with 465 tackles to rank second on Iowa’s all-time list.

He also made second-team all-Big Ten in 1972 and 1975.

Jackson led the team with 171 tackles as a freshman in 1972, setting the Iowa single-season record that still stands.

7. Brad Quast, 1986-89 – The Illinois native played a significant role as a true freshman, which is rare for an Iowa linebacker, and he made first-team All-Big Ten in 1988 and 1989.

He finished his career with 435 tackles to rank fifth on Iowa’s all-time list. He is also one of just seven Iowa linebackers to record at least 400 career tackles, and he leads all Iowa linebackers with 11 career interceptions, including one that he returned for a touchdown.

6. Tom Rusk, 1975-78 – He never played on a winning team at Iowa, but to no fault of his own as he ranked among the best linebackers in the Big Ten as a sophomore, junior and season.

As previously mentioned, he made history as a junior in 1977 by becoming the first Iowa linebacker to earn first-team All-Big Ten recognition. He also led the team in tackles for three seasons, made second-team All-Big Ten as a sophomore and senior, and finished his career with 361 tackles to rank ninth on Iowa’s all-time list.

5. Pat Angerer, 2006-09 – The Bettendorf native overcame multiple injuries to earn All-America honors as a senior in 2009 when he led Iowa with 145 tackles.

He also led Iowa in tackles as a junior in 2008 with 107, earning second-team All-Big recognition.

Angerer is one of just three Iowa linebackers to earn first-team All-America recognition by at least one news outlet, and one of just four to earn either first- or second-team All-America honors.

He was selected in the second round of the 2010 NFL draft by the Indianapolis Colts and would go on to play five seasons in the NFL.

4. Abdul Hodge, 2002-05 – The Fort Lauderdale, Florida native made first-team All-Big Ten as a sophomore and junior and second-team as a senior.

He also led Iowa in tackles as a sophomore, junior and senior and finished his career with 453 tackles to rank third on Iowa’s all-time list.

Hodge was hired as the Iowa tight ends coach in March.

3. Chad Greenway, 2002-05 – The South Dakota native played with high energy and with versatily as he excelled in traffic and in space.

He earned second-team All-America accolades in 2004 and 2005 and was also a first-team All-Big Ten selection in those two seasons. He also made second-team All-Big Ten as a sophomore in 2003 and finished his career with 416 tackles to rank sixth on Iowa’s all-time list.

He was selected in the first round of the 2006 NFL draft by the Minnesota Vikings, and with the 17th pick overall. He played his entire 10-year NFL career with the Minnesota Vikings and he made second-team All-Pro in 2012, although, that had no influence on his ranking for this list.

Greenway also overcame a torn anterior cruciate ligament early in his Hawkeye career and as rookie with the Vikings.

2. Josey Jewell, 2014-17 – Picking the runner-up to Station was tough as it came down to either Josey Jewell or Chad Greenway.

Jewell was given the slight edge due mostly from being a unanimous consensus All-American as a senior in 2017.

The Decorah native, who picked Iowa over Luther College, was also the recipient of the Lott IMPACT Trophy and the Jack Lambert Award, and was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year as a senior.

He also led Iowa in tackles for three seasons, ranks fourth in career tackles at Iowa with 436, and is one of just three Hawkeyes to record more than 115 tackles in three different seasons.

He ranked fourth in the nation in tackles per game as a senior with an 11.3 average,.

He was selected in the fourth round of the 2018 NFL draft by the Denver Broncos.

1. Larry Station, 1982-85 – The Omaha native did the unimaginable when he turned down the home-state Nebraska Cornhuskers to be a Hawkeye.

He would then go on to do the unimaginable on the playing field as he led Iowa in tackles in each of his four seasons, twice made first-team All-America and was a three-time first-team All-Big Ten selection.

Station finished his career with 492 tackles, including 308 solo stops. He is the only player in program history to have at least 300 solo tackles.

He started his last 42 games at Iowa and is one of just two Hawkeyes to earn consensus All-America honors twice.

He also earned All-America mention in each of his four seasons at Iowa, and was named to Iowa’s all-time team.

No disrespect to the other linebackers on the list, but this pick for the top spot was really a no-brainier.

Also considered: John Derby, Melvin Foster, James Morris, Christian Kirksey, Anthony Hitchens, Matt Hughes, Jack Campbell, Todd Simonsen.