Nate Wieland, a rookie linebacker, was just signed by the New England Patriots.
Wieland, now 23 years old, was a key contributor to Grand View University’s 14-1 record and a trip to the NAIA FCS Championship Game in his senior year.
As a high school senior, the 6-foot-1, 223-pounder signed with Iowa, but his progress was hindered by injuries, so he switched to Iowa Western Community College. He got in nine games last season and made 70 tackles in all.
The quarterback transferred from the University of Iowa to Iowa Western Community College after three years as a letterman. He redshirted at Iowa.
By the spring of 2021, he had graduated from NAIA Grand View University in Des Moines, where he had been named to the All-America first team.
Last fall, Wieland was a force in the center of the defense, recording 70 tackles, a sack, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and an interception. Wieland’s fifth-year senior’s final game was in the national championship game, where Grand View concluded with a 14-1 record.
With the additions of Weiland and safeties Brad Hawkins and Jalen Elliott, the Patriots have 90 players on their roster, leaving three positions free.
How much does Nate Wieland make?
Nate Wieland’s particulars of the agreement with the Patriots have not been made public. His salary has not been listed yet.