Nate Palmer

Nate Palmer joined the Lobo family in January of 2025 and he serves as an assistant linebackers coach for UNM.  New Mexico is his first full-time coaching position after spending 2024 as a graduate assistant.

PREVIOUS COACHING STOPS

NORTHERN ILLINOIS (2024): Palmer was a graduate assistant with Northern Illinois, coaching as an assistant linebackers coach.  The Huskies in 2024 picked up a historic win over Notre Dame and defeated Fresno State in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.

NIU’s defense was one of the top defenses in the FBS, averaging just 18.5 points per game allowed (14^th in the FBS) and totaling 36 sacks.  Northern Illinois ranked No. 4 in the NCAA allowing just 284.6 yards per game.

Palmer came to Northern Illinois after a successful high school coaching career.

PLAYING CAREER – ILLINOIS (2008-10); ILLINOIS STATE (2011-12); GREEN BAY PACKERS (NFL, 2013-15); TENNESSEE TITANS (NFL, 2016-18): Played his first three seasons at Illinois, playing 21 games as a freshman and a sophomore.  He recorded nine career tackles with the Illini and earned Academic All-Big Ten honors. He transferred to Illinois State were he was twice an All-Missouri Valley Football Conference Second Team pick. He started all 24 career games for the Redbirds and recorded 117 career tackles including 71 as a senior.

As a senior, his ranked fifth in the MVFC with 15.0 TFLs, and he was tied for fourth with 7.5 sacks as Illinois State advanced to the FCS Quarterfinals.

He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers with the 193rd overall pick in the sixth round.  He played in 24 NFL games with Green Bay, recording 17 tackles in eight games in 2013 and recording a career-best 68 tackles as he played in all 16 games in 2015.  He signed with Tennessee and played in 24 games over two seasons, recording 23 tackles to give him 108 for his four-season NFL career.