Hawk Item – – Ranked fourth in the Big Ten in tackles per game (9.6) . . . one of nine seniors named to 2020 Leadership Group . . . one of two redshirt freshmen named to 2017 Leadership Group . . . earned Dean’s List recognition, fall, 2018, fall, 2019, and spring, 2020.
2020 Honors – – Third-team All-Big Ten by league coaches . . . third-team All-Big Ten by Phil Steele . . . honorable mention All-Big Ten by league media . . . Academic All-Big Ten for fourth year . . . 2020 – – Started all eight games, with seven starts at weakside linebacker and one at middle linebacker . . . led team with 77 tackles, including 37 solo stops and 40 assists . . . also recorded 2.5 tackles for loss and one recovered fumble . . . started at middle linebacker in 24-20 loss at Purdue . . . eight solo tackles at Purdue to equal career-best for solo stops . . . started at weakside linebacker in 21-20 loss to Northwestern . . . matched career-high with 10 tackles vs. Northwestern, including two solo tackles and eight assists, with a shared tackle for loss . . . started at weakside linebacker in 49-7 win over Michigan State as defense allowed 59 rushing yards and 286 yards total offense . . . seven tackles vs. MSU, including three solo stops and four assists . . . started at weakside linebacker in 35-7 win at Minnesota . . . seven tackles at Minnesota, including four solo stops and three assists, with a shared tackle for loss . . . started at weakside linebacker in 41-21 win at Penn State . . . career-high 17 tackles at PSU, including six solo stops and 11 assists, with one tackle for loss . . . started at weakside linebacker in 26-20 win over Nebraska . . . 12 tackles vs. Nebraska, including five solo stops and seven assists . . . started at weakside linebacker in 35-21 win at Illinois . . . eight tackles at Illinois, including six solo stops and two assists . . . started at weakside linebacker in 28-7 win over #25 Wisconsin as defense allowed 56 net rushing yards and 225 yards total offense . . . eight tackles vs. the Badgers, including three solo stops and five assists, with a shared tackle for loss . . . first quarter fumble recovery against Wisconsin led to field goal and early 3-0 advantage.
2019 Honors – – Academic All-Big Ten for third year . . . 2019 – – Saw action in all 13 games, with eight starts . . . recorded 32 tackles, including 15 solo stops and 17 assists, with 2.5 tackles for loss and one sack . . . returned only interception for a touchdown . . . saw action in 38-14 win over Miami as defense allowed just 59 net rushing yards . . . recorded three assisted tackles vs. Miami . . . started at outside linebacker in 30-3 win over Rutgers as defense allowed just 125 yards total offense . . . recorded two solo tackles and one QB pressure vs. Rutgers . . . started at outside linebacker in 18-17 win at Iowa State, recording one solo tackle and one QB pressure . . . started at outside linebacker in 48-3 win over Middle Tennessee as defense allowed just 216 yards total offense . . . recorded four assisted tackles vs. MTSU, including one shared tackle for loss . . . started at outside linebacker in 10-3 loss at #18 Michigan . . . seven tackles at Michigan, including three solo stops and four assists, along with one tackle for loss . . . started at outside linebacker in 17-12 loss to #9 Penn State . . . seven tackles vs. PSU, including four solo stops and three assists . . . started at outside linebacker in 26-20 win over Purdue, but had no statistics as defense allowed just 33 net rushing yards . . . saw action in 20-0 win at Northwestern, but had no statistics as defense allowed just 64 net rushing yards and 202 yards total offense . . . started at outside linebacker in 24-22 loss at #16 Wisconsin . . . four tackles at Wisconsin, including three solo stops and one assist . . . saw action in 23-19 win over #7 Minnesota, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 19-10 win over Illinois, but had no statistics . . . started at outside linebacker in 27-24 win at Nebraska, recording one solo tackle and one assist . . . saw action in 49-24 Holiday Bowl win over #22 USC as defense allowed just 22 net rushing yards . . . returned first career interception 25 yards for final touchdown of the game vs. USC . . . two tackles vs. USC, including one solo and one assist, including one sack.
2018 Honors – – Academic All-Big Ten for second year . . . 2018 – – Saw action in 11 games, with five starts at outside linebacker . . . recorded 43 tackles, with 2.5 tackles for loss and one tackle for loss and one QB pressure . . . started at outside linebacker in 33-7 win over Northern Illinois as defense allowed just 211 yards total offense . . . recorded four solo tackles vs. NIU, including one tackle for loss . . . started at outside linebacker in 13-3 win over Iowa State as defense allowed just 19 net rushing yards and 188 yards total offense . . . career-best seven tackles vs. ISU, including three solo stops and four assists, along with one sack . . . started at outside linebacker in 38-14 win over Northern Iowa, recording one assisted tackle as defense allowed just six net rushing yards and 222 yards total offense . . . started at outside linebacker in 28-17 loss to #18 Wisconsin . . . career-high 10 tackles vs. Wisconsin, including three solo stops and seven assists, along with a shared tackle for loss . . . did not see action in 48-31 win at Minnesota due to injury . . . did not see action in 42-16 win at Indiana due to injury . . . saw action in 23-0 win over Maryland as defense allowed just 39 offensive plays and 115 yards total offense . . . recorded two solo tackles vs. Maryland after missing two previous games . . . saw action in 30-24 loss at #17 Penn State, but had no statistics . . . saw action at outside linebacker in 38-36 loss at Purdue, recording one solo tackle . . . saw action in 14-10 loss to Northwestern, recording four assisted tackles . . . saw action at outside linebacker in 63-0 win at Illinois as defense allowed just 216 yards total offense . . . recorded four tackles at Illinois, including two solo stops and two assists . . . returned blocked punt seven yards to help set up second quarter touchdown . . . saw action in 31-28 win over Nebraska . . . five tackles vs. Nebraska, including two solo stops and three assists . . . saw action in 27-22 Outback Bowl win over #18 Mississippi State . . . five tackles vs. MSU, including one solo stop and four assists, with one QB pressure.
2017 Honors – – Academic All-Big Ten . . . 2017 – – Saw action on special teams in 24-3 win over Wyoming, but had no statistics as defense allowed just 233 yards total offense . . . saw action on special teams in 44-41 OT win at Iowa State, recording one solo tackle for his first career statistic . . . saw action on special teams in 31-14 win over North Texas, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 21-19 loss to #4 Penn State, recording one assisted tackle . . . saw action in 17-10 loss at Michigan State, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 45-16 win over Illinois, but had no statistics . . . saw action on special teams in 17-10 OT loss at Northwestern, but had no statistics . . . saw action on special teams in 17-10 win over Minnesota, recording one solo tackle as defense allowed just 281 yards total offense . . . saw action in 55-24 win over #3 Ohio State, recording one solo tackle . . . saw action on special teams in 38-14 loss at #6 Wisconsin, but had no statistics . . . saw action on special teams in 24-15 loss to Purdue, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 56-14 win at Nebraska, but had no statistics as defense allowed 67 rushing yards and just 267 yards total offense . . . saw action in 27-20 Pinstripe Bowl win over Boston College, recording one solo tackle as defense allowed just 21 net rushing yards and 102 yards total offense in the second half.
2016 Honors – – Team Leader Award, defense . . . 2016 – – Redshirted.
High School honors — First-team all-state and all-conference as a senior . . . named Defensive Player of the Year in Northern Illinois Big 12 Conference . . . Daily Chronicle Player of the Year . . . honorable mention all-conference as a junior . . . Career — Two-year letterman as linebacker and tight end . . . as a senior recorded 94 tackles with eight tackles for loss and four sacks, while also recording 14 receptions for 366 yards . . . totaled 81 tackles as a junior with three tackles for loss, along with nine receptions on offense for 276 yards and three touchdowns . . . helped prep team reach state quarterfinals as a junior and returned to the playoffs as a senior . . . teamed with older brother as a sophomore to help team advance to state semifinals . . . team captain as a senior.
Personal — Born 12/02/97, in Waterloo, Iowa… open major… parents are Lou Ann and Jay Niemann… first-team academic all-state honors and member of National Honor Society… father Jay is assistant football coach at Rutgers… brother of Iowa LB Ben Niemann… one of four sets of brothers on Iowa roster . . . high school coach was Joe Ryan.