North Dakota State Bison Depth Chart 2026 — starters, backups & full two-deep

Unit

Tags · year-class · 3-SO = third-year soph

JobStarter2nd3rd4th5th+

Offense

11 starting jobsPrimary personnel · 11

×4

2Nathan HayesQB15-SR—10Trey DrakeQB24-JR—13Zander SmithQB32-FR 16Henry NelsonQB4FR

×10

7DJ ScottRB14-JR—

PORTAL 5Myles MitchellRB22-FR—32Barry KpeenuRB33-SOPORTAL 28Cortez LeGrantRB44-JR

PORTAL

8Braylon ToliverRB5

X×7

15Mekhi CollinsX15-SR—83Cade OstermanX24-JR—

PORTALALSO KR 21Chris KielX32-FR 30Kelly WatsonX44-JR

23Kye SchlichtingX5

Z×6

18Jackson WilliamsZ13-JR—+2 ROLES 84Logan ConklinZ23-SO—82SJ GreenZ32-FR 87Brandon WaltonZ4FR (3)

80Jacob KilzerZ5 20Drake SchlosserZ6

SLOT×6

17Isiah St. RomainSLOT13-SO—19John GoresSLOT25-SR—+2 ROLES 86Dylan VokalSLOT32-FR 12Myles EllisSLOT4FR (3)

89Tochi OkoroSLOT5 8Jeremiah PattersonSLOT6

×10

81Reis KesselTE13-SO—40Kaden ZenzenTE25-SR—44Luke KokatTE35-SR 85Jett ZabelTE42-SO

43Cash DannerTE5

LT×4

76Ryan BabatzLT12-SO—66Jack LiwienskiLT24-JR—73Alex WardenLT3FR (3)68Coy OkesonLT42-SO

LG×4

71Nate TastadLG13-SO—61Gage SchmidtLG23-SO—70Tucker ThienemanLG3FR (3)57Gavin WangLG4FR (3)

C×4

62Griffin EmpeyC14-JR—72Nate SchnecklothC24-JR—63Trey McPartlandC3FR (3)77Austin SchultzC43-JR

RG×4

75Josh MaginRG15-SR—78Noah StommesRG23-SO—67Earl BrownRG3FR (3)74Brett TastadRG4FR

RT×2

55Kene AneneRT13-SO—

PORTAL 59James NellisRT2FR (3)—

—open

Defense

11 starting jobsBase front · Nickel sub

LDT×6

8Keenan WilsonLDT14-JR—95Zach VanderpoolLDT23-SO—99Obald NiyonkuruLDT34-JR

PORTAL 65Brody ClubbLDT4FR (3)

69Skyler WernerLDT5 64Jason HunterLDT6

RDT×5

94Logan LarsonRDT15-SR—54Alijah WayneRDT22-SO—53Chase EvinkRDT32-FR 58Zach HellendrungRDT4FR (3)

98Jack HansenRDT5

EDGE

LDE×6

9Kelton McCaslinLDE15-SR—56Allante BurleyLDE25-SR—93Anthony OkesLDE34-JRPORTAL 92Daniel DevineLDE4FR (3)

90Truman GriffithLDE5 60Thomas RobertsLDE6

EDGE

RDE×5

11Matthew StenbrotenRDE13-SO—0Victor IseleRDE24-JR—91Ethan WoodRDE32-FR 48Blake SchiltzRDE4FR (2)

97Simon VintonRDE5

WLB×5

42Alex ElliottWLB14-JR—

PORTAL 3Gavin SellWLB22-FR—21Noah TaylorWLB34-JR 46Jack WilsonWLB4FR (3)

45Luke TetzlaffWLB5

MLB×6

52Keith WilliamsMLB13-JR—

PORTAL 41Peder HaugoMLB23-SO—55Oliver LuchtMLB34-JR 35Ryland SatterMLB43-SO

50Damian DevineMLB5 44Carter ApplMLB6

SLB×5

1Donovan WoolenSLB13-JR—25Ray James Jr.SLB23-SO—40Chase BrixiusSLB32-FR 47Jacob WrbanekSLB4FR (2)

38Ben ScheppSLB5

LCB×7

2EJ DavisLCB13-SO—PORTAL 4Najee NelsonLCB24-JR—16Marion MooreLCB32-FR 19Will RosenmeyerLCB43-SO

7Chance TuckerLCB5

RCB×6

12DJ VoltzRCB15-SR—

PORTAL 23Kegan HuberRCB25-SR—28Kendrick CarterRCB32-FR 24Kobe RussellRCB4FR (3)

32Brayden DozierRCB5 27Landon MeierRCB6

FS×6

14Taylen EadyFS13-SO—6Jaylin CrumbyFS24-JR—13Mikhale FordFS32-FRALSO PR 33Walker BraatenFS42-FR

36Gunner ThielgesFS5 22Hudson ArtzFS6

SS×4

29Darius GivanceSS15-SR—30Jaylen ArchibaldSS22-FR—20Will SteilSS33-SO 26Evrett TaitSS4FR (3)

Special Teams

6 starting jobsCoverage & return units

×1

37Drew KleinKO15-SR—

—open

×4

18Jackson WilliamsKR13-JR—+2 ROLES 0Preston BrownKR22-SO—19John GoresKR35-SR+2 ROLES 83Cade OstermanKR44-JR

PORTALALSO WR

×2

–CJ AndersonLS15-SR—

PORTAL –Gabe VernettiLS2FR—

—open

×1

37Drew KleinPK15-SR—

—open

×3

18Jackson WilliamsPR13-JR—+2 ROLES 13Mikhale FordPR22-FR—ALSO S 19John GoresPR35-SR+2 ROLES

—open

×2

39Aaron BickertonPT15-SR—

PORTAL 51Caleb McGrathPT24-JR—

PORTAL

—open

Offense

11 starting jobs

Primary personnel · 11

QB4 listed

Nathan Hayes#2QB15-SR—QB210Trey Drake4-JR QB313Zander Smith2-FR QB416Henry NelsonFR

RB10 listed

DJ Scott#7RB14-JR—

PORTAL RB25Myles Mitchell2-FR RB332Barry Kpeenu3-SOPORTAL RB428Cortez LeGrant4-JR

PORTAL

WRX7 listed

Mekhi Collins#15X15-SR—X283Cade Osterman4-JR

PORTALALSO KR X321Chris Kiel2-FR X430Kelly Watson4-JR

WRZ6 listed

Jackson Williams#18Z13-JR—+2 ROLES Z284Logan Conklin3-SO Z382SJ Green2-FR Z487Brandon WaltonFR (3)

WRSLOT6 listed

Isiah St. Romain#17SLOT13-SO—SLOT219John Gores5-SR+2 ROLES SLOT386Dylan Vokal2-FR SLOT412Myles EllisFR (3)

TE10 listed

Reis Kessel#81TE13-SO—TE240Kaden Zenzen5-SR TE344Luke Kokat5-SR TE485Jett Zabel2-SO

OLLT4 listed

Ryan Babatz#76LT12-SO—LT266Jack Liwienski4-JR LT373Alex WardenFR (3)LT468Coy Okeson2-SO

OLLG4 listed

Nate Tastad#71LG13-SO—LG261Gage Schmidt3-SO LG370Tucker ThienemanFR (3)LG457Gavin WangFR (3)

OLC4 listed

Griffin Empey#62C14-JR—C272Nate Schneckloth4-JR C363Trey McPartlandFR (3)C477Austin Schultz3-JR

OLRG4 listed

Josh Magin#75RG15-SR—RG278Noah Stommes3-SO RG367Earl BrownFR (3)RG474Brett TastadFR

OLRT2 listed

Kene Anene#55RT13-SO—

PORTAL RT259James NellisFR (3)

Defense

11 starting jobs

Base front · Nickel sub

DLLDT6 listed

Keenan Wilson#8LDT14-JR—LDT295Zach Vanderpool3-SO LDT399Obald Niyonkuru4-JR

PORTAL LDT465Brody ClubbFR (3)

DLRDT5 listed

Logan Larson#94RDT15-SR—RDT254Alijah Wayne2-SO RDT353Chase Evink2-FR RDT458Zach HellendrungFR (3)

EDGELDE6 listed

Kelton McCaslin#9LDE15-SR—LDE256Allante Burley5-SR LDE393Anthony Okes4-JRPORTAL LDE492Daniel DevineFR (3)

EDGERDE5 listed

Matthew Stenbroten#11RDE13-SO—RDE20Victor Isele4-JR RDE391Ethan Wood2-FR RDE448Blake SchiltzFR (2)

LBWLB5 listed

Alex Elliott#42WLB14-JR—

PORTAL WLB23Gavin Sell2-FR WLB321Noah Taylor4-JR WLB446Jack WilsonFR (3)

LBMLB6 listed

Keith Williams#52MLB13-JR—

PORTAL MLB241Peder Haugo3-SO MLB355Oliver Lucht4-JR MLB435Ryland Satter3-SO

LBSLB5 listed

Donovan Woolen#1SLB13-JR—SLB225Ray James Jr.3-SO SLB340Chase Brixius2-FR SLB447Jacob WrbanekFR (2)

CBLCB7 listed

EJ Davis#2LCB13-SO—PORTAL LCB24Najee Nelson4-JR LCB316Marion Moore2-FR LCB419Will Rosenmeyer3-SO

CBRCB6 listed

DJ Voltz#12RCB15-SR—

PORTAL RCB223Kegan Huber5-SR RCB328Kendrick Carter2-FR RCB424Kobe RussellFR (3)

SFS6 listed

Taylen Eady#14FS13-SO—FS26Jaylin Crumby4-JR FS313Mikhale Ford2-FRALSO PR FS433Walker Braaten2-FR

SSS4 listed

Darius Givance#29SS15-SR—SS230Jaylen Archibald2-FR SS320Will Steil3-SO SS426Evrett TaitFR (3)

Special Teams

6 starting jobs

Coverage & return units

KO1 listed

Drew Klein#37KO15-SR—

KR4 listed

Jackson Williams#18KR13-JR—+2 ROLES KR20Preston Brown2-SO KR319John Gores5-SR+2 ROLES KR483Cade Osterman4-JR

PORTALALSO WR

LS2 listed

CJ AndersonLS15-SR—

PORTAL LS2Gabe VernettiFR

PK1 listed

Drew Klein#37PK15-SR—

PR3 listed

Jackson Williams#18PR13-JR—+2 ROLES PR213Mikhale Ford2-FRALSO S PR319John Gores5-SR+2 ROLES

PT2 listed

Aaron Bickerton#39PT15-SR—

PORTAL PT251Caleb McGrath4-JR

PORTAL

Program & Venue

Program

North Dakota State Bison

North Dakota State University

Conference Mountain WestFootball began 1894Location Fargo, North Dakota

Home

Fargodome

18,700Listed capacity

Location Fargo, North Dakota

Coaching staff

Head coachTim Polasek

Offensive coordinatorDan Larson

Defensive coordinatorGrant Olson

Identity

Mascot Thundar

Green Primary

Yellow Secondary