The first Division II player taken in the 2018 NFL Draft, Nathan Shepherd turned a winding college path at Fort Hays State into a long NFL career in the trenches.
Nathan Shepherd's journey to the NFL began far from the spotlight, starting at Simon Fraser University before transferring to Division II Fort Hays State, where he became a two-time All-American. Drafted in the third round by the Jets in 2018, he spent five seasons in New York before moving on to New Orleans, where he continues his career as a veteran interior defensive lineman.
Path to the league
Shepherd began his college career at Simon Fraser University before transferring to Fort Hays State, where he racked up 168 tackles, 27 tackles for loss, and 10 sacks over three seasons, earning two-time All-America honors and being named 2017 MIAA Defensive Player of the Year. The Jets made him the first Division II player selected in the 2018 NFL Draft, taking him in the third round with the 72nd overall pick.
Career highlights
Shepherd spent his first five NFL seasons with the Jets from 2018 to 2022, developing into a regular contributor on the interior defensive line. In 2020, he was part of a Jets defense that allowed just 4.03 yards per carry, seventh-best in the league, while recording 17 tackles and 2.5 sacks. He has played for the New Orleans Saints since 2023.
2025 season recap
Shepherd continued his role as a veteran interior lineman for New Orleans in 2025, providing depth and run-defense experience along the Saints' defensive front in his ninth NFL season.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Nathan Shepherd
- Pro Football Reference: Nathan Shepherd
Statistics
2025 season and career2025 Season · Defense
16 games played▶Defense · career
| Year | Team | GP | TOT | SOLO | SACK | INT | FF | FR | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | saints | 16 | 47 | 23 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | saints | 16 | 37 | 16 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | saints | 17 | 50 | 26 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | jets | 17 | 33 | 16 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | jets | 17 | 28 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 | jets | 14 | 17 | 8 | 2.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 | jets | 9 | 11 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2018 | jets | 16 | 15 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Defensive Tackle
- Group
- defense
- College
- Fort Hays
- Hometown
- Ajax, ON, Canada
- Age
- 32
- Status
- active
