Abdul Hodge

College's version of Baltimore's Ray Lewis, Hodge has been a sensational leader for the Hawkeyes since stepping into the starting lineup as a sophomore. He teamed with outside linebacker Chad Greenway to give Iowa the best tackle tandem in the collegiate ranks. In 2005, Hodge (13.2 avg) and Greenway (13.0) ranked third and fourth in the nation in tackles per game. Hodge is only the third player in school history to lead the team in tackles three times in a career, joining Tom Rusk (1976-78) and Larry Station (1982-85) and his career-high 158 tackles in 2005 rank second on the school's season-record list. Hodge earned Super Prep All-American honors as a senior linebacker at Boyd Anderson High School. He added first-team All-State and All-Conference accolades his final year and was a first-team All-County and third-team All-State pick as a junior. He captained the foot-ball team three years, lettering in football four times, twice in track and once in basketball. The Broward County MVP on defense as a senior led the team to a 22-10 record during his last three years. He finished his career with 308 tackles, 22 sacks and six interceptions. He also had eight fumble recoveries and two touchdowns following fumble recoveries. Hodge recorded over 100 tackles in each of his final three prep seasons, leading a 9-3 team that reached the state semi-finals as a senior. Like most Iowa recruits, Hodge spent his first season (2001) as a redshirt. He competed as an outside linebacker on the scout team that year, but moved to inside linebacker the next season. He totaled 38 tackles (28 solos) with a sack in 2002, receiving the Coaches' Appreciation Award for his performance on special teams. Hodge took over middle linebacker chores as a sophomore. The All-Big Ten Conference first-team pick led the team with 141 tackles (83 solos), two sacks and nine stops for losses. He recovered two fumbles, caused two others and deflected three passes. His 141 tackles rank fourth on the school's season-record list. College Sports Report gave Hodge fourth-team All-American recognition and he was again named to the All-Big Ten first-team in 2004. Hodge posted a team-high 116 tackles (79 solos) with three sacks, two fumble recoveries and a forced fumble. He also batted away three passes. Despite leading the conference and ranking third in the nation in tackles, Hodge was only named to the All-Big Ten second-team in 2005. He amassed 158 tackles (98 solos), the second-best season total in Iowa annals. Hodge had a sack, eleven stops for losses and recovered two fumbles. He also caused three fumbles. In 50 games with the Hawkeyes, Hodge started 37 times. He ranks third in school history with 453 tackles (288 solos), the seventh-best career total in NCAA Division 1-A history (records kept since 2000). He added seven sacks for minus 36 yards and 25.5 stops for losses of 75 yards. Hodge recovered six fumbles for 47 yards in returns and also caused six fumbles while deflecting seven passes.

positives

Has a muscular upper body with a tight waist, good bubble, strong legs and long arms...Plays with great awareness and natural instincts to read and react quick enough to get a jump on the play...Always manages to be in position to make the play... Despite his marginal size, he is stout at the point of attack, using his hands well to take on and shed blocks...Able to slip off blocks, but also has the power to stuff them...Shows nice explosiveness on contact to compensate for size limitations...Plays with leverage and good knee bend, keeping containment with leverage on the tight ends and backs because of his low pad level...Runs the field well, using his hands to control...Keeps containment on outside plays and has the speed to cut off the action along the perimeter...Has the acceleration to make plays going long distances...Has the lateral range quickness to make plays in space, staying with the flow to get to the ball...Reliable tackler who hits ball carriers with good pop on contact...Has a good feel for man coverage, especially when working in the short area, demonstrating the proper hip rotation to stay with backs coming out of the backfield...Very fluid in reverse and gets good depth dropping back in zone coverage...Takes proper angles, showing the loose hips needed to turn instantly...Does a very good job of filling the rush lanes and can put heavy pressure on the quarterback when shooting the gaps...Has the timing and anticipation skills to pressure the pocket.

hodge has the range to pursue from sideline-to-sideline. he shows very good balance on the move and is determined to make the play, even when running long distances. his lateral range allows him to sift through the pile, but when he out-runs the play, he does not have the loose hips to generate the stop-and-go action to get back into the action.

Hodge is best when working inside the box because of his tendency to over-pursue when playing in space. He can cover tight ends and backs in the short area and while he has good timed speed, he looks stiff in his hips when taking on receivers into the deep secondary.

negatives

Has marginal size, which creates problems when he has to sift through traffic to locate the ball...Gets a little over-aggressive in his pursuit at times and then looks slow when trying to recover...Needs to do a better job of breaking down plays and wrapping as a tackler...Not a natural hands catcher and really has to look the ball in ? the result is more body and double catches in attempts to get to the pass...Has good hand usage, but will have difficulties getting off blocks when working in tight quarters...Does not have the hip snap to plant, drive and redirect quickly when he over-runs the play...Has very good timed speed, but will lose contact with the receiver on long routes (has to build to top speed in the open area).

hodge has good grab, pull and jerk action with his hands to knock blockers off-stride, but does not show the hands needed to intercept the ball. he lets too many passes absorb into his body and is prone to double catching, deficiencies that have resulted in no interceptions and only seven pass deflections in 50 games.

Still, he is a very smart field general who makes the players around him perform better. Teammate Chad Greenway credits Hodge's knowledge of the game for helping Greenway succeed and perform at his high level. He is an every down linebacker who still needs to iron out a few kinks (man coverage, hands for the interception), but with his low center of gravity and power, he can be a disruptive force in the middle of the field.

hodge is an undersized linebacker in the ray lewis mold. he is not as technically sound as lewis, but does a very good job of splitting double teams and working his way down the line of scrimmage. he is an instinctive player who shows no hesitation attacking the ball. he is quick to fill the rush lanes and is combative with his hands in attempts to shed.

Despite his size limitations, Hodge is effective at holding ground at the point of attack. He stays square and low in his pads to run the fullback back through the rush lanes in attempts to plug in-line holes. He hits ball carriers with a thud, but will miss a few tackles due to adequate wrap-up technique.

2005: Bothered in spring drills with a slight groin pull.

Campus: 4.64 in the 40-yard dash

440-pound bench press

561-pound squat

325-pound power clean

35-inch vertical jump

32 ½-inch arm length

8 ¼-inch hands

Right-handed

Wears glasses/contacts

17/50 Wonderlic score.

Attended Boyd Anderson (Lauderdale Lakes, Fla.) High School, playing football for head coach Ken Scott

Earned Super Prep All-American honors as a senior linebacker

Added first-team All-State and All-Conference accolades his final year and was a first-team All-County and third-team All-State pick as a junior

Captained the football team three years, lettering in football four times, twice in track and once in basketball

The Broward County MVP on defense as a senior led the team to a 22-10 record during his last three years

Finished his career with 308 tackles, 22 sacks and six interceptions

Also had eight fumble recoveries and two touchdowns following fumble recoveries

Recorded over 100 tackles in each of his final three prep seasons, leading a 9-3 team that reached the state semi-finals as a senior

National Honor Society member.

Communications Studies major

Son of Violet Hodge and Leroy Frazier

Brother, Elijah Hodge, was a freshman linebacker at the University of Wisconsin in 2005

Nicknamed "Hitman"

Born 9/09/82 in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands

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