Ryan Harklau came to Iowa State with intentions of lining up at defensive end.

After redshirting a year and playing in 10 games in 1997, Harklau made the move to nose guard in 1998 during fall drills because “he just wanted to play,” ISU Defensive Coordinator John Skladany said.

Now Harklau is one of the most sought after interior defensive linemen.

He has been rated in the top five by some and in the top three by other critics of nose guards to go on to the NFL.

“He’s tenacious,” Skladany said. “He has a feel for getting off blocks, and he’s a relentless pass rusher.”

Harklau’s statistics back Skladany’s praise.

Harklau had 55 tackles this year, four of them for a loss. He also had a sack to go along with a fumble recovery.

This may not seem impressive, and definitely not NFL worthy.

But remember that rarely is a defense centered around on a nose guard to make tackles.

Harklau is depended upon to be a leader.

He has been a team-captain for the last two years.

“People look to him for his determination,” Skladany said.

Last year, Harklau’s will was put to the test. In the season opener against Indiana State, he had five tackles.

The next week Harklau got off to a promising start against Iowa with six tackles and a sack. He then broke his foot.

The prognosis was grim. The doctors were skeptical.

Harklau was told he would spend the rest of the season watching from the Iowa State sidelines.

Instead of settling in for an extended winter, Harklau proved the doctors wrong.

He returned to the field after three weeks.

Harklau contributed to the win over Missouri in Columbia.

He had five tackles against Colorado the following week. But in the season finale against Kansas, injury befell Harklau again.

He broke his foot for the second time that season.

Harklau has been a key contributor for the turnaround of last year’s 4-7 mark into the 8-3 one of today.

But there is still work to do.

“He’s putting everything into this game,” Skladany said, referring to the Insight.com Bowl against Pittsburgh.

NFL scouts will undoubtedly be at the game on Dec. 28.

Skladany believes he is getting a hard look from the pros because he has been productive against the fierce competition in the Big 12.

Maybe even more than playing well against the best offensive linemen the conference has to offer, Skladany said it “takes a special breed,” to play nose guard.