{{Short description|American football player (born 2006)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=October 2025}} {{Infobox college football player |name=Nate Sheppard |image= |image_size= |alt= |caption= |school=Duke Blue Devils |currentnumber=20 |currentposition=Running back |class=Sophomore |major= |pastschools= * Duke (2025–present) |bowlgames= |highschool=Mandeville (Mandeville, Louisiana) |birth_date={{birth date and age|2006|8|24}}<ref name=birthday>{{cite tweet|user=NateShep20|number=1959593843847799071|title=Blessed #19🎉|access-date=October 12, 2025}}</ref> |birth_place= |height_ft=5 |height_in=10 |weight_lb=195 |highlights= * Second-team All-ACC (2025) |espn=5164332 }} '''Nate Sheppard''' (born August 24, 2006)<ref name=birthday /> is an American college football running back for the Duke Blue Devils.
== Early life == Sheppard attended Mandeville High School in Mandeville, Louisiana. As a sophomore, he led the team in rushing and receiving yards and scored 25 total touchdowns.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mills |first=Richie |title=Mandeville’s Nate Sheppard is preparing to build on stellar sophomore campaign |url=https://wgno.com/sports/mandevilles-nate-sheppard-is-preparing-to-build-on-stellar-sophomore-campaign/ |website=WGNO}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Halm |first=Joseph |date=2023-08-23 |title=FAMILY TRADITION: Junior Nate Sheppard ready to lead Mandeville football to the next level |url=https://www.nola.com/news/communities/st_tammany/family-tradition-junior-nate-sheppard-ready-to-lead-mandeville-football-to-the-next-level/article_a2b8b984-384d-11ee-95c0-abde8a9a6ac5.html |access-date=2025-10-07 |website=NOLA.com |language=en}}</ref> As a junior, Sheppard rushed for 1,816 yards and 32 touchdowns, before his senior season was shortened due to a leg injury.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Halm |first=Joseph |date=2024-10-29 |title=Mandeville's standout RB is out for the season after a lower leg injury last week |url=https://www.nola.com/news/communities/st_tammany/mandevilles-standout-rb-is-out-for-the-season-after-a-lower-leg-injury-last-week/article_56eea0ea-95ad-11ef-b31e-4ffff941dc4e.html |access-date=2025-10-07 |website=NOLA.com |language=en}}</ref> Following his high school career, he committed to play college football at Duke University over offers from California, Cincinnati, Northwestern, and Tulane.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nadeau |first=Rene |date=2024-08-24 |title=Mandeville running back Nate Sheppard commits to Duke |url=https://crescentcitysports.com/mandeville-running-back-nate-sheppard-commits-to-duke/ |access-date=2025-10-07 |website=Crescent City Sports |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Urquhart |first=Spencer |date=2024-08-23 |title=Mandeville standout running back Nate Sheppard has committed to Duke. Here's why. |url=https://www.nola.com/sports/high_schools/a-mandeville-standout-running-back-has-committed-to-duke/article_3dc62768-60cf-11ef-ad57-cf33513f7fa1.html |access-date=2025-10-07 |website=NOLA.com |language=en}}</ref>
== College career == In Sheppard's first career start against Syracuse, he totaled 15 carries for 168 yards and two touchdowns while also tallying 33 yards receiving.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Alexander |first=Chip |title=How freshman running back Nate Sheppard is transforming Duke football’s offense |url=https://www.newsobserver.com/sports/college/acc/duke/article312314934.html |website=The News & Observer}}</ref> For his performance, he was named the ACC running back and rookie of the week.<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 29, 2025 |title=Duke frosh RB Nate Sheppard and RT Brian Parker earn ACC Player of the Week Awards |url=https://247sports.com/college/duke/article/duke-frosh-rb-nate-sheppard-and-rt-brian-parker-earn-acc-player-of-the-week-awards-254824273/ |access-date=2025-10-07 |website=247Sports |language=en}}</ref>
===Statistics=== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |+ {{Screen reader-only|College statistics}} ! rowspan="2"| Season ! rowspan="2" |Team ! colspan="1" | Games ! colspan="4" | Rushing ! colspan="4" | Receiving |- ! GP !! Att !! Yards !! Avg !! TD !! Rec !! Yards !! Avg !! TD |- ! 2025 !Duke |13 || 178 || 962 || 5.4 || 10 || 35 || 266 || 7.6 || 1 |- ! colspan="2" | [https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/nate-sheppard-1.html Career] || 13 || 178 || 962 || 5.4 || 10 || 35 || 266 || 7.6 || 1 |}
== Personal life == Sheppard's older brother, Will, is a professional football wide receiver for the Green Bay Packers.<ref name=":0" />
== References == {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[https://goduke.com/sports/football/roster/nate-sheppard/21857 Duke Blue Devils bio]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sheppard, Nate}} Category:2006 births Category:Living people Category:Players of American football from St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana Category:People from Mandeville, Louisiana Category:American football running backs Category:Duke Blue Devils football players Category:21st-century American sportsmen {{runningback-2000s-stub}}