Top 17 Defensive Players Drafted During the Ferentz/Parker Era at Iowa

Kirk Ferentz and Norm Parker have turned Iowa's defense into a well-oiled machine.

Not only can Ferentz churn out NFL-caliber offensive lineman and tight ends, but with the help of defensive coordinator Parker, he has been able to produce a ton of NFL-ready talent on the other side of the ball.

In 2010, Iowa had three defensive players taken in the NFL draft.

Since 2000, Iowa has had 17 defensive players selected in the NFL Draft. Several are still terrorizing professional quarterbacks on Sundays.

Here is a list of the top 17 defenders drafted while Ferentz and Parker have been calling the shots. They are ordered from highest to lowest by where they were taken during the NFL draft.

17. Jared Clauss

Jared Clauss
No. 230, 2004 NFL Draft
Tennessee Titans

Clauss played defensive tackle for the Hawkeyes from 1999 to 2003, and made quite a name for himself in the process.

Clauss was named honorable mention All-Big Ten as a junior and senior. In addition, he earned Academic All-Big Ten honors in all of his four seasons.

He was drafted by the Titans and stuck it out in the NFL for a few years.

16. Matt Bowen

Matt Bowen
No. 198, 2000 NFL Draft
St. Louis Rams

Bowen was a seven-year NFL safety after playing for the Rams, Redskins, Packers, and Bills. At Iowa, he was a four-time letter winner.

Bowen is now a featured writer for the National Football Post. He is known to chat about the Hawkeyes on Twitter (@mattbowen41).

15. Mike Humpal

Mike Humpal
No. 188, 2008 NFL Draft
Pittsburgh Steelers

As a senior at Iowa, Humpal recorded 123 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, and three interceptions. His impressive year helped him to be drafted by the Steelers in the sixth round of the 2008 NFL Draft.

14. Aaron Kampman

Aaron Kampman
No. 156, 2002 NFL Draft
Green Bay Packers

Aaron Kampman is a household name around Iowa.

He grew up playing high school ball in Parkersburg, where he made a name for himself. His success continued at Iowa and naturally in the NFL.

He leads the league in most sacks since 2006, and was named to the NFL Pro Bowl in 2008.

He played seven seasons for the Packers before signing with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

13. Derek Pagel

Derek Pagel
No. 140, 2003 NFL Draft
New York Jets

Pagel was a second team All-Big Ten defensive back for Iowa in 2002. He was drafted by the Jets, where he saw limited action. He spent time with the Dallas Cowboys before retiring after the 2005 season.

12. Kenny Iwebema

Kenny Iwebema
No. 116, 2008 NFL Draft
Arizona Cardinals

Iwebema had a long, solid career at Iowa before being drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in 2008. After a tumor scare not long after being drafted, Iwebema has been performing well for the Cardinals defense and helped them to reach the Super Bowl in 2009.

11. A.J. Edds

AJ Edds
No. 119, 2010 NFL Draft
Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins traded their No. 126 pick in 2010 to the Cowboys to move up for Iowa's outside linebacker A.J. Edds.

Edds is an athletic, intelligent linebacker known for his run-stuffing and pass-intercepting abilities. At 6'3" and 246 pounds, the second-team All-Big Ten selection can jam running backs and hold up tight ends.

10. Sean Considine

Sean Considine
No. 102, 2005 NFL Draft
Philadelphia Eagles

Considine is another walk-on turned Hawkeye standout turned NFL veteran. He was drafted by the Eagles where he saw consistent action. Last year, Considine signed as a free agent with the Jaguars.

T8. Charles Godfrey

Charles Godfrey
No. 67, 2008 NFL Draft
Carolina Panthers

During his career at Iowa, Godfrey recorded 193 tackles and totaled seven interceptions.

His physical style had several teams interested in him during the 2009 NFL Draft, but the Panthers were lucky enough to snag him early in the third round.

He started all 16 games for Carolina and finished his rookie season with 61 tackles, a sack, a forced fumble, and an interception.

T8. Abdul Hodge

Abdul Hodge
No. 67, 2006 NFL Draft
Green Bay Packers

Hodge ranks third in career tackles at Iowa with 453. He set an Outback Bowl record with 19 tackles (14 solo) in 2006.

He was drafted by the Packers in the third round of the 2006 NFL Draft and now plays for the Cincinnati Bengals.

T6. Amari Spievey

Amari Spievey
No. 66, 2010 NFL Draft
Detroit Lions

Spievey continues the trend of successful Hawkeye cornerbacks drafted in the third round of the NFL draft.

With the No. 66 pick, the Detroit Lions added "The Glove" to their arsenal.

Spievey will join Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh and California running back Jahvid Best in Detroit. He will likely see immediate playing time on special teams, but has an excellent chance to win a starting job at cornerback.

T6. Bradley Fletcher

Bradley Fletcher
No. 66, 2009 NFL Draft
St. Louis Rams

Fletcher had a long, consistent career at Iowa, which he transformed into a third round draft pick by the Rams in 2009.

5. Pat Angerer

Pat Angerer
No. 63, 2010 NFL Draft
Indianapolis Colts

Angerer is a smart linebacker that plays with a high level of intensity and toughness.

His 145 tackles in 2009 ranked sixth nationally. He also has five tackles for loss, a sack, an interception, six pass break-ups, and two forced fumbles in 13 games.

Some analysts think he's slightly undersized to play middle linebacker in the NFL. The Colts didn't seem to think so.

With their first pick of the second round in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Colts went with another Hawkeye.

4. Jonathan Babineaux

Jonathan Babineaux
No. 59, 2005 NFL Draft
Atlanta Falcons

Regardless of the fact that he might hold the same philosophy on pit bulls as Michael Vick, Babineaux has had a prosperous career in Atlanta since being drafted in 2005.

In 2009, Babineaux led all NFL defensive tackles with six sacks.

3. Matt Roth

Matt Roth
No. 46, 2005 NFL Draft
Miami Dolphins

Roth was a fan favorite at Iowa.

He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the second round of the 2005 NFL Draft and has terrorized NFL offenses ever since.

Roth was named starting defensive end for Miami in 2007 and currently plays for the Cleveland Browns.

2. Bob Sanders

Bob Sanders
No. 44, 2004 NFL Draft
Indianapolis Colts

Sticks and stones may break your bones, but a Bob Sanders hit will liquefy your kidneys.

1. Chad Greenway

Chad Greenway
No. 17, 2006 NFL Draft
Minnesota Vikings

Chad Greenway ranks fifth in career tackles at Iowa with 416.

But that is just one of the many reasons he was drafted in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft by the Vikings.

Greenway started his NFL career with a torn ACL, and missed the entire 2006 NFL season. He worked his way back to a starting role the following year, and has been one of the NFL's best linebackers ever since.

Greenway currently has 319 career tackles to go along with 5.5 sacks and five interceptions.