Western Carolina University

2018 (Redshirt Junior): Started all 11 of the team’s games along the defensive front … Recorded 24 total tackles with seven solo stops including three tackles for loss with 2.5 sacks … Credited with three quarterback hurries … Recorded four tackles including a season-high 1.5 tackles for loss at Gardner-Webb (Sept. 14) … Also had four tackles with a sack against VMI (Sept. 22) … Posted a season-high five tackles against The Citadel (Nov. 3) ... Named to the 2018-19 Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll.

2017 (Redshirt Sophomore): Started all 12 games along the defensive line at tackle ... Finished the season with 55 tackles, the tops among WCU's defensive linemen ... Among his 55 tackles were 18 solo stops and 5.5 tackles for loss including two sacks with three quarterback hurries ... Made his WCU debut with two tackles including a sack in the season opener at Hawai'i (Sept. 2) ... Recovered a fumble for a touchdown in the road win over Chattanooga (Sept. 30) ... Forced and recovered a fumble to go along with eight tackles including 2.5 tackles for loss against Furman (Oct. 28) ... Tallied a career-high 10 tackles including six solo stops in the road win at The Citadel (Nov. 4) ... Finished with nine tackles against Mercer (Nov. 11) ... Named second-team All-Southern Conference by the voting media members ... Named to the 2017-18 Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll.

Prior to Western Carolina: Transferred to WCU from the University of Louisiana at Monroe (ULM) ... Redshirted as a true freshman in 2015 ... Played in nine games as a redshirt freshman in 2016 recording five tackles including one solo stop; At Notre Dame HS: Earned first team All-Parish, first team All-District, first team All-Acadiana, first team All-State, and first team Coach's All-State as a junior in 2013 ... Tallied 65 tackles as a senior in 2014, including 22 tackles for loss, 14 sacks, and 30 QB hurries ... Earned Defensive MVP honors on both the All-Parish and All-District teams ... Was again named first team All-Acadiana and first team All-State in 2014 ... Selected to play in the 2014 LHSA East-West All-Star Game, collecting MVP honors ... Was a two-star recruit out of high school by both Scout.com and 247Sports.com ... High school head coach was Lewis Cook.

Personal: Full name is Nathaniel Joseph Link ... Is the son of Kerry and Jeanette Link ... Has three siblings; brother Jackson and two sisters, Amalie and Helen.