Nate Letton enters his third season as tight ends coach in 2025. Letton was named tight ends coach in February 2023 after joining the Badgers as a quality control coach in January 2023. Letton leads the Badgers' tight ends unit after coaching the TEs at Cincinnati in 2022.
In 2024, Letton mentored senior Riley Nowakowski and sophomore Tucker Ashcraft as the lead TEs for the Badgers. Ashcraft made 12 catches for 82 yards and a score while team captain Nowakowski caught 11 passes for 74 yards.
In his first season in 2023, Letton led a unit that lost three of its key contributors at the onset of fall camp. TE Hayden Rucci emerged as a key leader and freshman TE Tucker Ashcraft made an impact in his first collegiate season. Rucci led the unit with 125 receiving yards on 11 catches and earned the ReliaQuest Bowl 'Make it Possible' award, a recognition for his character, toughness and hard work.
Under Letton’s watch, tight end Josh Whyle earned first team All-AAC honors. Whyle, a fifth-year senior and team captain, was a three-time All-AAC selection and finished his career with 88 receptions for 1,062 yards and 15 touchdowns. His 15 scores were the most ever by a Bearcat tight end and he became the third in program history to reach 1,000 career receiving yards.
Letton was selected to participate in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) 35 Under 35 Coaches Leadership Institute at the 2023 convention. The AFCA 35 Under 35 Coaches Leadership Institute is a prestigious program aimed at identifying and developing premier, future leaders in the football coaching profession.
Prior to coaching the Bearcats’ tight ends, Letton spent two seasons as an offensive line graduate assistant under Fickell. The Bearcats put together two prolific seasons of offense in 2020 and 2021, advancing to New Year’s Six bowl games in both seasons.
Before his time at Cincinnati, Letton coached at his alma mater, Centre College, from 2015-19. Letton led the wide receivers group in 2015, the tight ends in 2016 and the offensive line from 2017-19.
In 2018, Centre compiled a 10-2 record and captured the SAA championship, advancing to the NCAA DIII playoffs. Letton mentored offensive lineman Drew Yeager to All-America honors while the offense racked up 471 yards and 41.9 points per game. In 2017, all five of Centre’s starting linemen received All-SAA honors.
Letton, originally from Lexington, Ky., graduated from Centre College in 2015 with a degree in biology and a minor in education. As a linebacker, Letton secured ALL-SAA honorable mention accolades in 2014 by totaling 67 tackles and leading Centre to an undefeated season and conference championship.
Personal
Wife: Madeline
Education: Centre College, 2015
Playing Career
2011-2014: Centre College
| Letton's Coaching Career |
| Year |
School/Team |
Position |
| 2015 |
Centre College |
Wide Receivers |
| 2016 |
Centre College |
Tight Ends |
| 2017-19 |
Centre College |
Offensive Line |
| 2020-21 |
Cincinnati |
Graduate Assistant |
| 2022 |
Cincinnati |
Tight Ends |
| 2023-present |
Wisconsin |
Tight Ends |
