2026 Spring Football Roster

Jersey Number 44
Nathaniel Staehling
- Class:
- Graduate Student
- Position:
- LB
- Height:
- 6-2
- Weight:
- 238
- Hometown:
- Baxter, Minn.
- High School:
- Brainerd
CAREER HIGHS
• Tackles: 11 - 2x, last at Illinois State (Oct. 4, 2025)
• Solos: 6 - vs. Southern Illinois (Oct. 11, 2025)
• Asst: 10 - at Illinois State (Oct. 4, 2025)
• TFLs: 1.0 - 5x, last vs. Northern Iowa (Nov. 15, 2025)
• Sacks: 1.0 - at South Dakota State (Oct. 25, 2025)
• Int: 2 - vs. Illinois State (Nov. 6, 2025)
• FR: 1 - 2x, last at Illinois State (Oct. 4, 2025)
• PBUs: 2 - vs. Illinois State (Nov. 6, 2025)
PRIOR TO MICHIGAN
• Spent four seasons at North Dakota State (2022-25); earned four varsity letters
• Team captain as a senior in 2025
• Appeared in 32 games during his career
• Totaled 91 tackles, including 7.0 for loss with 1.5 sacks; recorded eight pass breakups, including three interceptions, and two fumble recoveries during his career
Senior (NDSU, 2025)
• Appeared in 13 games on defense; totaled 75 tackles, including 6.0 for loss with 1.5 sacks, one fumble recovery, four pass breakups, including three interceptions
• Totaled six tackles at The Citadel (Aug. 30), including a split sack
• Produced three tackles at Tennessee State (Sept. 6)
• Shared a TFL among seven stops against Southeast Missouri State (Sept. 13)
• Intercepted a pass and made five tackles, including 1.0 for loss, against South Dakota (Sept. 27)
• At Illinois State, totaled 11 tackles, including one for loss, and recovered a fumble
• Contributed nine tackles against Southern Illinois (Oct. 11)
• Split a TFL among six tackles at Indiana State (Oct. 18)
• Recorded 1.0 sack among five tackles at South Dakota State (Oct. 25) and broke up a pass
• Totaled three tackles against Youngstown State (Nov. 1)
• At North Dakota (Nov. 8), reached eight tackles with a split TFL
• Made 1.0 TFL among seven stops against Northern Iowa (Nov. 15)
• Recorded two tackles against St. Thomas (Nov. 22)
• Intercepted two passes and recorded three tackles against Illinois State (Dec. 6)
Junior (NDSU, 2024)
• Appeared in five games on defense; made four tackles to earn his second varsity letter
• Missouri Valley Conference Honor Roll member
• Saw game action at Colorado (Aug. 29), at East Tennessee State (Sept. 14) and against Towson (Sept. 21)
• Recovered a fumble and made one tackle for loss against Tennessee State (Sept. 7)
• Totaled three tackles at Illinois State (Sept. 28)
Sophomore (NDSU, 2023)
• Appeared in 14 games on defense; credited with 12 tackles to earn his first varsity letter
• Missouri Valley Conference Honor Roll member
• Made his collegiate debut against Eastern Washington (Sept. 2)
• Assisted on one tackle at Tennessee State (Sept. 9)
• Assisted on one tackle against Central Arkansas (Sept. 16)
• Credited with one assisted tackle at Missouri State (Oct. 7)
• Saw game action at North Dakota (Oct. 14), at South Dakota State (Nov. 4), vs. Southern Illinois (Nov. 11), at the University of Northern Iowa (Nov. 18), at Montana State (Dec. 2) and at Montana (Dec. 16)
• Recorded four tackles against Western Illinois (Oct. 21)
• Assisted on one tackle against Murray State (Oct. 28)
• Delivered two tackles against Drake (Nov. 25)
• Recorded two tackles at South Dakota (Dec. 9)
Frehman (NDSU, 2022)
• Did not see game action
• Missouri Valley Conference Honor Roll member
Prep
• Attended Brainerd High School (2022); coached by Jason Freed
• Four-year letter winner for the Warriors; team captain as a senior
• Brainerd went 4-6 his senior season after a 1-3 mark his junior year
• Also lettered in basketball, baseball and track and field
Key Statistics
• Contributed in all phases; as a quarterback, running back, safety, punter and kicker
• Rushed for 1,302 yards and 20 touchdowns in his career; caught eight passes for 112 yards and two touchdowns
• Totaled 835 passing yards with seven passing touchdowns
• On defense, credited with 62 tackles, three forced fumbles, five pass breakups, including two interceptions, and two blocked kicks
• As a senior, carried 118 times for 602 yards with 10 touchdowns
• Academic All-State honoree
Honors and Rankings
• Secured All-District honors as a senior in 2021
• 2021 North-South All-Star game participant
Personal
• Son of Joel and Erica Staehling
• Father, Joel, played at Augsburg College
• Majored in finance at NDSU
• Tackles: 11 - 2x, last at Illinois State (Oct. 4, 2025)
• Solos: 6 - vs. Southern Illinois (Oct. 11, 2025)
• Asst: 10 - at Illinois State (Oct. 4, 2025)
• TFLs: 1.0 - 5x, last vs. Northern Iowa (Nov. 15, 2025)
• Sacks: 1.0 - at South Dakota State (Oct. 25, 2025)
• Int: 2 - vs. Illinois State (Nov. 6, 2025)
• FR: 1 - 2x, last at Illinois State (Oct. 4, 2025)
• PBUs: 2 - vs. Illinois State (Nov. 6, 2025)
PRIOR TO MICHIGAN
• Spent four seasons at North Dakota State (2022-25); earned four varsity letters
• Team captain as a senior in 2025
• Appeared in 32 games during his career
• Totaled 91 tackles, including 7.0 for loss with 1.5 sacks; recorded eight pass breakups, including three interceptions, and two fumble recoveries during his career
Senior (NDSU, 2025)
• Appeared in 13 games on defense; totaled 75 tackles, including 6.0 for loss with 1.5 sacks, one fumble recovery, four pass breakups, including three interceptions
• Totaled six tackles at The Citadel (Aug. 30), including a split sack
• Produced three tackles at Tennessee State (Sept. 6)
• Shared a TFL among seven stops against Southeast Missouri State (Sept. 13)
• Intercepted a pass and made five tackles, including 1.0 for loss, against South Dakota (Sept. 27)
• At Illinois State, totaled 11 tackles, including one for loss, and recovered a fumble
• Contributed nine tackles against Southern Illinois (Oct. 11)
• Split a TFL among six tackles at Indiana State (Oct. 18)
• Recorded 1.0 sack among five tackles at South Dakota State (Oct. 25) and broke up a pass
• Totaled three tackles against Youngstown State (Nov. 1)
• At North Dakota (Nov. 8), reached eight tackles with a split TFL
• Made 1.0 TFL among seven stops against Northern Iowa (Nov. 15)
• Recorded two tackles against St. Thomas (Nov. 22)
• Intercepted two passes and recorded three tackles against Illinois State (Dec. 6)
Junior (NDSU, 2024)
• Appeared in five games on defense; made four tackles to earn his second varsity letter
• Missouri Valley Conference Honor Roll member
• Saw game action at Colorado (Aug. 29), at East Tennessee State (Sept. 14) and against Towson (Sept. 21)
• Recovered a fumble and made one tackle for loss against Tennessee State (Sept. 7)
• Totaled three tackles at Illinois State (Sept. 28)
Sophomore (NDSU, 2023)
• Appeared in 14 games on defense; credited with 12 tackles to earn his first varsity letter
• Missouri Valley Conference Honor Roll member
• Made his collegiate debut against Eastern Washington (Sept. 2)
• Assisted on one tackle at Tennessee State (Sept. 9)
• Assisted on one tackle against Central Arkansas (Sept. 16)
• Credited with one assisted tackle at Missouri State (Oct. 7)
• Saw game action at North Dakota (Oct. 14), at South Dakota State (Nov. 4), vs. Southern Illinois (Nov. 11), at the University of Northern Iowa (Nov. 18), at Montana State (Dec. 2) and at Montana (Dec. 16)
• Recorded four tackles against Western Illinois (Oct. 21)
• Assisted on one tackle against Murray State (Oct. 28)
• Delivered two tackles against Drake (Nov. 25)
• Recorded two tackles at South Dakota (Dec. 9)
Frehman (NDSU, 2022)
• Did not see game action
• Missouri Valley Conference Honor Roll member
Prep
• Attended Brainerd High School (2022); coached by Jason Freed
• Four-year letter winner for the Warriors; team captain as a senior
• Brainerd went 4-6 his senior season after a 1-3 mark his junior year
• Also lettered in basketball, baseball and track and field
Key Statistics
• Contributed in all phases; as a quarterback, running back, safety, punter and kicker
• Rushed for 1,302 yards and 20 touchdowns in his career; caught eight passes for 112 yards and two touchdowns
• Totaled 835 passing yards with seven passing touchdowns
• On defense, credited with 62 tackles, three forced fumbles, five pass breakups, including two interceptions, and two blocked kicks
• As a senior, carried 118 times for 602 yards with 10 touchdowns
• Academic All-State honoree
Honors and Rankings
• Secured All-District honors as a senior in 2021
• 2021 North-South All-Star game participant
Personal
• Son of Joel and Erica Staehling
• Father, Joel, played at Augsburg College
• Majored in finance at NDSU
Football Surging with Energy, Continuity in Spring Ball
Thursday, March 26
Football Press Conference: Jason Beck (March 24)
Tuesday, March 24
Football Press Conference: Jay Hill (March 19)
Thursday, March 19
Football Press Conference: Kyle Whittingham (March 17)
Tuesday, March 17




