Iowa State’s old-school edge-setter with captain energy
Ryan Harklau was a tough, versatile Iowa State defensive lineman who helped anchor the Cyclones’ breakthrough 2000 season, finishing his career with 122 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss, and 4.5 sacks in the 2020 retrospective on his playing days[1][4]. The big differentiator was grit: he arrived as an undersized linebacker, shifted onto the line because the defense needed him, became a two-time captain, and later signed with the Jaguars before a staph infection derailed his NFL shot[1][2]. If your team wants a tone-setter who plays through change, leadership, and adversity, that’s Harklau in a nutshell[1][2].
