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NHS CAREER DEFENSIVE LEADERS from 1957-2025

 -- NOTE: Since actual game stats are not available prior to 1989, defensive totals prior to that year are based upon newspaper accounts and reporting.

red indicates most recent player to make list or active player

TOTAL TACKLES minimum 135 career solo + assisted tackles

rank player first yr1 yrfin Total
1 Street Cage 2013 2016 323
2 Wargel Ryan 2012 2014 274
3 Patterson Joe 1993 1995 241
4 Sales Gage 2017 2020 198
5 Fox Kenon 1992 1994 197
6 White, Jr Ricky 2023 2025 194
7 Cooper Deke 1993 1995 192
8 Jackson Stephen 2005 2007 185
9 Johnson Cale 2019 2022 177
10 Metz Jacob 1996 1999 176
11 Johnson Boo Boo 1999 2000 174
12 Watters Drew 2010 2012 172
13 Stewart Brandon 2003 2006 171
14 Beck Dean 1985 1986 169
15 Bledsoe Ricky 1978 1980 164
16 Merriweather Larry 2005 2007 163
17 Miller Andy 1993 1994 162
17 Holland Kyle 2008 2010 162
19 Taylor Lawrence 1999 2002 156
20 Brooks Nathan 1994 1995 154
21 Brown Clinton 2005 2007 152
22 Hyde Mike 1977 1978 150
22 Mcclain Eric 2015 2017 150
24 Whitler Chase 2012 2014 146
25 Bushrod Derenzo 1997 2000 144
26 Clements Cameron 2007 2009 141
27 Pendleton Mike 1977 1978 138
28 Quarles George 2005 2007 137
29 Johnson Mike 2009 2012 135
29 Broach Tim 1992 1993 135

UNASSISTED SOLO TACKLES minimum 83 career unassisted tackles

rank player first yr1 yrfin SOLO
1 Street Cage 2013 2016 222
2 Wargel Ryan 2012 2014 169
3 Jackson Stephen 2005 2007 128
4 Broyles Charlie 1962 1963 125
5 White, Jr Ricky 2023 2025 124
6 Watters Drew 2010 2012 119
7 Bledsoe Ricky 1978 1980 115
8 Stewart Brandon 2003 2006 114
8 Cooper Deke 1993 1995 114
10 Sales Gage 2017 2020 107
11 Metz Jacob 1996 1999 106
11 Patterson Joe 1993 1995 106
13 Johnson Cale 2019 2000 105
14 Whitler Chase 2012 2014 102
15 Bushrod Derenzo 1997 2000 101
16 Clements Cameron 2007 2009 98
17 Johnson Boo Boo 1999 2000 95
17 O'Donnell Kendall 2000 2003 95
19 Johnson Mike 2009 2012 94
19 Holland Kyle 2008 2010 94
19 Pendleton Dion, Sr 1980 1980 94
22 Beck Dean 1985 1986 93
22 Hyde Mike 1977 1978 93
24 Andress Jeff 1977 1978 91
25 Pendleton Mike 1977 1978 90
26 Fox Kenon 1992 1994 88
27 Merriweather Larry 2005 2007 84
27 McClain Eric 2015 2017 84
29 Jackson Brandt 2003 2005 83
29 Miller Andy 1993 1994 83

INTERCEPTIONS minimum 5 career interceptions

rank player first yr1 yrfin INT
1 Copeland Roger 1967 1968 14
2 Stewart Brandon 2003 2006 13
3 Crowe Eddie 1965 1966 10
3 Wheeler Hank 1988 1990 10
4 Beck Jeff 2000 2002 9
5 Buck Bill 1957 1958 8
6 O'Donnell Kendall 2000 2003 6
6 Jackson Brandt 2003 2005 6
6 Quarles III George 2005 2007 6
6 Barton Keonta 2021 2023 6
10 Layne De'Amontey 2023 2025 5
10 Kincaid Aman 2024 2025 5
10 Parkman Ryan 2005 2007 5
10 Thomas Jim 1962 1963 5
10 Merriweather Carl 1986 1987 5
10 Grayson Buster 1990 1992 5
10 Miller Andy 1993 1994 5
10 Neighbors Kareem 1993 1994 5
10 Cooper Deke 1993 1995 5
10 Becker Matt 2000 2001 5
10 Odom Damien 2004 2006 5
21 many times       4

QUARTERBACK SACKS minimum 8 career QB tackles for loss

rank player first yr1 yrfin SACKS
1 Harris Kaleb 2021 2023 26
2 Dozier John 1992 1994 20
3 Clements Chris 2004 2005 16
4 Johnson Cale 2019 2022 15
4 Johnson Mike 2009 2012 15
4 Rios Devin 2009 2010 15
7 Wintner Chris 1994 1994 13
7 Hazelwood Jayden 2021 2023 13
7 Oswald Chase 2002 2004 13
9 Blalock Bart 1994 1995 12
9 Debose Jason 1995 1997 12
9 Lewis Jordan 2005 2006 12
12 Bell James 2001 2001 10
13 Garrett Marcus 2007 2009 9
14 Elliott Mike 1999 2001 8.5
15 Street Cage 2013 2016 8
15 Carlile Travis 2005 2008 8
15 Rucker Myron 1995 1995 8
15 Graves Greg 2001 2002 8
15 Poag Eric 2002 2004 8
15 Todd Quintez 2006 2007 8

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