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File RB-22 · National rank 282 · 2028 class

Nate Sheppard

#20· Duke ·RB ·So ·2028 Draft · Mandeville, LA
5'10"Height 200 lbWeight
RepresentationVaynerSports Confirmed
Boom-or-BustHigh CeilingStat Producer
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Quick Notes
Nate Sheppard is a sophomore running back who projects as a starter for Duke. A high-ceiling, boom-or-bust back, he profiles as a quality college player and fringe pro prospect.
Agent / Representation
Status Represented Confirmed
ContactFootball@vaynersports.com
NotesNIL representation — VaynerSports.
SourceIG bio Football@vaynersports.com
Verified2026-07-15
Board Standing
#22 RB / 1014
#282 Overall / 15102
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Scouting Verdict

A true freshman broke Duke's freshman rushing record on an ACC championship team — 1,132 yards, second in the conference, with 11 touchdowns and 37 catches on genuine every-down usage. The workload is the striking part: 200 carries plus real receiving duty at 18 years old across 14 games, and the ceiling grade points steeply up because of it. The evaluation stays grounded anyway: it is one season, at a devalued position, from a player who isn't draft-eligible until 2028, and freshman-phenom backs have a long history of year-two regressions once defenses get a full offseason of study — the number that matters most in 2026 is whether the 5.7 per carry survives another 200-touch season. Today this is a fringe pro grade with one of the widest bands on the roster; sustain the production through 2027 and the early-round chatter in Durham stops sounding premature and starts sounding like scouting.

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RB Keys 2025 · Duke
1132
Rush Yds
Better than 97% of 586 RBs
11
TD
Better than 96% of 580 RBs
5.7
YPC
Better than 76% of 564 RBs
Recruiting
★★★★
Stars
#439
National
#33
Position
#17
State
High SchoolMandeville
HometownMandeville, LA
Offers25 schools view →
Tags 3 Click to toggle
Talent Level
Competitive / Mental
Production Profile
Versatility
Off-Field / Character
Overall Risk