Chicago Bears: 5 Defensive tackles to target in 2018 NFL draft
3. Nathan Shepherd, Fort Hays St.: 6-5, 315 pounds
Okay, so I am adding someone who could be considered a Pace-type player. Pace has a pretty good track record of scouring the land and finding talent from small schools. Nathan Shepherd could be another example.
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Shepherd put in some incredible work to get to where he is. He came out of high school as a 200-pound linebacker. In four years, he’s gained over 100 pounds to be an NFL defensive tackle prospect. Even so, his body can handle gaining even more weight.
Shepherd opened eyes at the Senior Bowl. He left before the end of the week due to a broken hand, but it wasn’t a very serious injury.
Later, he turned heads again at the NFL Combine. He ran a 4.53-second shuttle, broad jumped 9’3″, and recorded a 31-inch vertical. Also, he ran an incredible 5.09-second 40.
The Canadian has a good awareness of his strengths and weaknesses. He’s honest with himself and works to improve. He has incredible athleticism and NFL-level traits. He is still very raw and could be an incredible pick with a good coach who can mold him. Who could be that coach? Oh yeah, he’d be perfect for Fangio!
Shepherd has good power and is quick. He has a strong hand slap that can knock blockers off-balance. As I mentioned, he is still very raw, so it may take a couple of seasons for him to excel as a starter. With his traits, however, he can play in a rotation and help right away.