#44Transfer

Nathaniel Staehling

LB · Graduate

6'3" · 241 lbs · Defense

Also wearing #44: Eli Owens (TE)

Background

Hometown: Baxter, Minn.
High school: Brainerd
Previous school: North Dakota State

Recruiting

Rating: Unrated
Class: 2022

2026 season

No 2026 stats recorded yet.

Season by season

2025tap to read

• 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)

2024tap to read

• 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)

2023tap to read

• 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)

2022tap to read

• 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

Official bio

Read full bio

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

Official bio on mgoblue.com →