Nazir Stackhouse has earned himself a starting position this season and will pick up even more playing time in Jalen Carter’s absence, but this third-year defensive lineman from Stone Mountain, Georgia, has already made a name for himself on a different stage: TikTok. 

This new social media platform has been used to propel plenty to internet fame. In today’s age it can be especially useful to a student-athlete like Stackhouse and his marketability, but he doesn’t approach it like that. TikTok has been something that Stackhouse has been using since his highschool days. It’s picked up a lot since then with him amassing over 35 thousand followers and earning 750 thousand plus likes on his videos. 

He uses it as a “side hobby.” Something else to do to take his mind off of football when the chance arises. 

It’s fitting though. In the times I’ve had the opportunity to talk to him, Stackhouse has always been a personable and joyful guy. If anyone on the team would be making moves on social media it would be him. 

It gets me wondering how a guy like him can get serious on game day though. I asked him about it and he said it was a question he thinks about a lot too. Stackhouse knows people see him as “jolly,” but that doesn’t stop him from locking in once he puts on the pads.

“When I’m on the field, I’m a whole different person,” Stackhouse said. You can’t tell from TV, but when it comes to hitting a player from an opposing team, he knows he’s doing it for his team, and that drives him. 

Stackhouse doesn’t let his success on social media distract him at all. It’s not even a factor. If anything, it’s just an extension of his character. 

Now that he’ll be picking up more snaps, we’ll have the opportunity to get a better look at who he is when he’s on the field instead of just seeing him on a screen. 

He ended the interview saying, “Whatever happens, I’m always out there playing with physicality, playing with the best of my ability and potential.”