Apologies for the delay guys I stayed up as much as I could last night!
Ok with the newly gained #113 pick the Seattle Seahawks select:
Nathan Sheperd, DT, FORT HAYS ST.
Height/Weight: 6-5, 315 pounds
A native of Ontario, Canada, Shepherd was a 205-pound linebacker in high school before attending Simon Fraser University. Over the next couple of years, he continued to grow, eventually playing in nine games as a redshirt freshman for the Clan in 2012 (20 tackles, seven for loss, 2.5 sacks). Eventually, he made his way to Kansas to play for the Tigers after an FHSU coach saw his highlight tape. In 2015, Shepherd was a third-team All-Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association selection after starting all 12 games (69 tackles, five for loss, three sacks, two blocked kicks). He was a second-team all-conference pick the next season, posting 61 tackles, 9.5 for loss, three sacks, and two forced fumbles. Shepherd ended his career with a second-team Associated Press Division II All-American senior campaign, also earning the MIAA Defensive Player of the Year award. He compiled just 38 stops in 2017, but 12.5 of those went for losses, including four sacks.
Strengths
- Looks the part of an NFL player in pads physically, has added 100 pounds to his frame since coming out of high school as a linebacker in Ontario
- Shows good instincts and moves extremely well laterally
- Coachable player, attacks strengths and weaknesses in his game to better himself
- Is able to use his athletic ability to chase down ballcarriers down the field
- Packs a heavy punch with his hands
- Has tapered frame with good length
- Self-aware
- Diagnoses and works on his weaknesses
- Plus athlete with flexible hips and good lateral quickness
- His physical traits and athletic ability will be considered moldable clay by NFL evaluators and coaches
- Flashes a big-time hand slap and hip flip to hurl himself around a blocker's edge as a rusher
- Athletic when pursuing in space
Weaknesses
- Massive level of competition concerns after playing in Canada at Simon Frasier University before transferring to Fort Hays in Kansas
- Project player with massive athletic upside
- Relies too much at times on strength as opposed to good fundamentals and technique
- Needs to improve getting his head turned around
Overview
In a league and draft that loves to discuss potential that oozes while taking fliers on players with question marks, often times prospects have a ton of red flags due to character concerns, but his is among the highest in the draft and by all accounts one of the classes' most coachable players.