We continue ranking the top five players at every position in Big 12 history below with the linebackers:
1. Derrick Johnson, Texas (2001-04): Johnson was a consensus All-American in 2003 and a unanimous one in 2004. He was also a three-time, first-team All-Big 12 selection, and won the Butkus (best linebacker) and Nagurski (top defender) awards as a senior. Johnson finished his college career with 458 tackles and went on to become the 15th overall pick in the 2005 draft.
2. Dat Nguyen, Texas A&M (1996-98): Nguyen was a three-time, first-team All-Big 12 pick and finished his career with 517 tackles, which would have been the most in Big 12 history had his 1995 season counted in the league record books. Nguyen still ranks second in Big 12 history with nine fumble recoveries. He won the Bednarik and Lombardi (best lineman or linebacker) awards, was a unanimous All-American and played a key role on Texas A&M's only Big 12 title team in 1998.
3. Rocky Calmus, Oklahoma (1998-2001): Calmus was one of the faces of Oklahoma's dramatic return to prominence at the turn of the millennium. He won the Butkus Award in 2001 and was a finalist for both the Nagurski and Bednarik awards. Calmus was also a three-time All-Big 12 selection, and led the Sooners in tackles in all three of those seasons, including on Oklahoma's 2000 national championship defense.
4. Von Miller, Texas A&M (2007-10): Before became a star with the Denver Broncos, Miller was a menacing player off the edge in College Station. Miller led the nation with 17 sacks in 2009, was a two-time All-American, and was the winner of the Butkus Award in 2010. He went on to become the No. 2 overall pick in the 2011 NFL draft.
5. Teddy Lehman, Oklahoma (2000-03): Lehman actually edged out Johnson for the Butkus Award in 2003. He was also a Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, Bednarik winner, and unanimous All-American. On top of that, Lehman played on a pair of teams that reached the national championship game -- in 2000 and 2003.