University of Minnesota Athletics
Year-By-Year Tackles for Loss Leaders
| Year | Player | TFL | Yards |
| 1978 | Stan Sytsma | 11 | 52 |
| 1979 | Alan Blanshan | 7 | 39 |
| 1980 | Jeff Schuh | 16 | 108 |
| 1981 | Karl Mecklenburg | 13 | 62 |
| 1982 | Karl Mecklenburg | 11 | 62 |
| 1983 | Joe Christopherson | 5 | 19 |
| Peter Najarian | 5 | 7 | |
| 1984 | Bruce Holmes | 7 | 24 |
| 1985 | Mark Dusbabek | 6 | -- |
| Larry Joyner | 6 | -- | |
| 1986 | Gary Hadd | 11 | -- |
| 1987 | Jon Leverenz | 13 | -- |
| 1988 | Skeeter Akre | 7 | 50 |
| Ron Goetz | 7 | 27 | |
| 1989 | Eddie Miles | 12 | -- |
| 1990 | Sean Lumpkin | 7 | 34 |
| Ben Williams | 7 | 34 | |
| 1991 | Mike Sunvold | 9 | 35 |
| 1992 | Dennis Cappella | 13.5 | 67 |
| 1993 | Craig Sauer | 12 | 54 |
| 1994 | Craig Sauer | 11 | 45 |
| 1995 | Ben Langford | 7 | 16 |
| 1996 | Jerome Davis | 6 | 15 |
| 1997 | Lamanzer Williams | 24 | 118 |
| 1998 | Tyrone Carter | 15 | 73 |
| 1999 | Karon Riley | 22 | 119 |
| 2000 | Karon Riley | 20 | 121 |
| 2001 | Greg White | 8 | 38 |
| 2002 | Paul Nixon | 8 | 40 |
| Darrell Reid | 8 | 27 | |
| 2003 | Darrell Reid | 12 | 50 |
| 2004 | Darell Reid | 17.5 | 84 |
| 2005 | Steve Davis | 9 | 49 |
| John Shevlin | 9 | 29 | |
| 2006 | Willie VanDeSteeg | 14.5 | 59 |
| 2007 | Deon Hightower | 9.5 | 17 |
| 2008 | Willie VanDeSteeg | 19 | 94 |
| 2009 | Lee Campbell | 11.5 | 29 |
| 2010 | Jewhan Edwards | 11 | 39 |
| 2011 | Gary Tinsley | 9 | 33 |
| 2012 | D.L. Wilhite | 11 | 62 |
| 2013 | Ra'Shede Hageman | 13 | 50 |
| 2014 | Damien Wilson | 10.5 | 32 |
| 2015 | Jack Lynn | 11 | 30 |
| 2016 | Steven Richardson | 11 | 53 |
| 2017 | Carter Coughlin | 11.5 | 51 |
| 2018 | Carter Coughlin | 15.0 | 59 |
| Blake Cashman | 15.0 | 51 | |
| 2019 | Carter Coughlin | 9.5 | 39 |
| 2020 | Boye Mafe | 5.5 | 36 |
| 2021 | Boye Mafe | 10.0 | 48 |
| 2022 | Mariano Sori-Marin | 6.0 | 15 |
| 2023 | Jah Joyner | 7.5 | 63 |
| 2024 | Anthony Smith | 11.5 | 65 |
| 2025 | Anthony Smith | 17.5 | 121 |