New York Jets: Nathan Shepherd sounds like a star already

The New York Jets took a chance on small school DL Nathan Shepherd in the third round, and he already sounds like a seasoned pro in the NFL…

New York Jets fans should be thrilled about their third-round pick, Nathan Shepherd out of Fort Hays State.

Shepherd caught the attention of NFL Draft analysts and fans at the Senior Bowl, when he simply couldn’t lose any reps, whether individual or team.

Shepherd’s power and quickness were fully on display, and despite suffering a broken arm in Mobile, he was considered one of the biggest winners of the week and certainly one of the hottest prospects in the 2018 class.

That was reflected in his draft position, as the Jets made him the eighth overall pick of the third round in this year’s draft, and rightly so.

Shepherd’s dominance at Fort Hays State and the way he stepped up at the Senior Bowl turned heads and shed a ton of light on the type of prospect he is.

More than just a football player, however, Shepherd seems like an incredibly bright young man:

.@NathanDShepherd has a simple mindset:

It's intern SZN. pic.twitter.com/dHiWr5v02Z
— New York Jets (@nyjets) May 9, 2018

That three-minute piece gives a glimpse into the kind of worker and person Shepherd is. He knows, despite his high draft status, that nothing is guaranteed. I love that he considers himself an ‘intern’ with the organization.

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That is such a smart approach for a young player to have.

Everything he gets will be earned, and he’s making sure to stay focused. In that interview, he says he doesn’t even know where the TV remote is in his hotel room, which he shares with fellow rookie and another draft pick of the Jets I really like, UConn’s Folorunso Fatukasi.

Shepherd says they take some time to connect with family before going through the playbook and setting up chairs in the room to get extra reps in.

You think these guys are taking their new jobs seriously?

I love the mentality from this guy, and the way he’s put in work to not only get himself drafted but make himself a major piece of a team’s draft class and youth movement going forward.

The Jets obviously no longer have Sheldon Richardson or Muhammad Wilkerson, two linemen who were supposed to be part of the foundation of their defense for the foreseeable future.

Shepherd is part of a youth movement for the Jets, and if this is the approach he takes to every part of his new job, he’s going to be a superstar yet.

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