Nathan Shepherd Bio
Nathan Daniel Shepherd is a Canadian professional football defensive tackle for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). Standing 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) and listed at 315 lb (143 kg), he wears jersey number 93 and plays a key role on the Saints’ defensive line. Shepherd entered the NFL in 2018 after a college career that spanned two programs in Canada and the United States, and he has since built a steady resume as an interior defender with more than 230 career tackles and double-digit sacks.
Before reaching the professional ranks, Shepherd earned the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) Defensive Player of the Year award for his 2017 season, an honor that helped him earn an invitation to the 2018 Senior Bowl. That recognition marked him as one of the most impactful small-school defensive linemen in his draft class and laid the foundation for his transition to the NFL.
Early Life and Background
Nathan Daniel Shepherd was born on October 9, 1993, in Ajax, Ontario, Canada. He grew up in Ajax, where he developed his early love for football by playing youth football with the Ajax/Pickering Dolphins Football Club. That local program gave him his first structured exposure to organized tackle football and helped shape the work ethic that would later define his professional career.
Shepherd attended J. Clarke Richardson Collegiate in Ajax, Ontario, for his high school education, where he continued to develop as a defensive lineman. Coming out of high school, he was not regarded as a top national recruit, but his physical profile and motor made him an attractive option for a Canadian university program looking for an interior defender with upside.
Path to American Football
Shepherd began his college career at Simon Fraser University, a program based in British Columbia that competes south of the border in NCAA Division II. He redshirted his first year and then started every game in his second season as a defensive end, showing the kind of quick development that would become a theme throughout his career. After two years at Simon Fraser, Shepherd departed the program because he could no longer afford tuition, and he spent time working in a plant nursery, in electrical construction, and in a cardboard box factory while trying to keep his football dream alive.
His path took another turn when Fort Hays State University in Kansas reached out with an opportunity to continue playing. Shepherd paid his first semester at Fort Hays State before being placed on athletic scholarship, allowing him to focus fully on football again. At Fort Hays State, he transitioned from defensive end to defensive tackle and became a disruptive force for the Tigers, finishing his 2017 season as the MIAA Defensive Player of the Year. His strong senior campaign also earned him an invitation to the 2018 Senior Bowl, making him the first Fort Hays State player ever invited to the showcase.
Nathan Shepherd Career
Early Career (2018)
Heading into the 2018 NFL draft, Shepherd generated significant buzz at the Senior Bowl practices, where he displayed the speed, power, and technique that scouts look for in an interior lineman. NFL evaluators praised his combination of size and athleticism, comparing his body type to established NFL starters and noting his potential to affect both the run game and the passing game. A broken hand suffered during Senior Bowl practice kept him out of the actual game, but he still attended the NFL Scouting Combine, completing most drills while skipping the bench press because of the injury. He also held a pro day at Fort Hays State on March 12, 2018, performing positional drills for representatives of 16 NFL teams and meeting privately with multiple organizations, including the Dallas Cowboys, Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, and Houston Texans.
Shepherd entered the draft as a projected second or third-round pick and was ranked as the sixth best defensive tackle prospect by DraftScout.com and Scouts Inc. The New York Jets selected him in the third round with the 72nd overall pick, making him the sixth defensive tackle taken in the 2018 draft and only the third player in Fort Hays State history to be drafted. He was also the first Fort Hays State player drafted since Frankie Neal was taken by the Green Bay Packers in the third round of the 1987 NFL draft. On May 14, 2018, the Jets signed him to a four-year, $3.87 million contract that included a signing bonus of $987,724.
New York Jets Breakthrough (2018–2022)
Shepherd joined a Jets defensive line that needed depth and rotation help on the interior. As a rookie, he appeared in a limited role while adjusting to the speed and complexity of the NFL game. His tenure in New York, however, was not without adversity. On September 10, 2019, Shepherd was suspended for six games for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing drugs policy. He later explained that he had used banned substances while attempting to speed up his recovery from off-season surgeries, including a sports hernia procedure, a shoulder issue, and a herniated disc in his back. The league reinstated him on October 29, 2019, and the Jets activated him on November 1, 2019.
Despite the setback, Shepherd returned and continued to contribute on the Jets’ defensive line, working his way into a regular rotation role over the following seasons. On March 16, 2022, he signed a one-year contract extension with New York, signaling the organization’s continued belief in his role as an interior run defender and pass rusher. He finished his Jets career having established himself as a reliable rotational tackle with starting capability.
New Orleans Saints Era (2023–Present)
On March 17, 2023, Shepherd signed a three-year, $15 million contract with the New Orleans Saints, marking a fresh start in the NFC South after five seasons in New York. The move paired him with a Saints defensive front that valued his combination of size and length, and he quickly became a more prominent piece of the rotation. In his first season in New Orleans, Shepherd posted career highs with 50 tackles and 3.5 sacks, establishing himself as a playmaker on the inside.
The 2024 season brought one of the more talked-about moments of Shepherd’s career. During the Saints’ Week 8 game against the Los Angeles Chargers, he attempted to sack quarterback Justin Herbert, missed the initial tackle, and ended up on the ground. While there, he grabbed Herbert’s knee and twisted it in an awkward manner before Chargers center Bradley Bozeman pulled him off. The NFL initially fined Shepherd for the play, but he appealed and the fine was rescinded after he maintained that he had not deliberately tried to injure Herbert. In Week 10 of the 2025 season, Shepherd made a positive impact on special teams by blocking a field goal in the fourth quarter of a 17-7 win over the Carolina Panthers, a play that earned him NFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors.
Driving Style and Strengths
Shepherd plays with the kind of power and leverage that NFL scouts covet in a nose-style defensive tackle. He is at his best when he can anchor against double teams in the run game and push the pocket from the inside on passing downs. His versatility, developed through stints at defensive end and defensive tackle during his college years, allows the Saints to move him around the line, and his motor and conditioning have helped him stay productive deep into drives and games.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among the defining moments of Shepherd’s career are his 2018 Senior Bowl invitation, the highest draft pick ever used on a Fort Hays State player in modern NFL history, and his career-best 2023 season with the Saints. The Herbert play in 2024 and his NFC Special Teams Player of the Week award in 2025 bookend a stretch in which he has remained a steady contributor and headline-maker for the New Orleans defense.
Nathan Shepherd Career Wins
While defensive tackles are rarely measured by win totals the way quarterbacks or linebackers are, Shepherd has accumulated notable production since entering the league in 2018. Through the 2025 season, he has recorded 238 total tackles, 14 sacks, and 1 forced fumble, numbers that reflect his role as a consistent interior presence rather than a headline-grabbing stat-sheet stuffer.
NFL Highlights
Shepherd’s most productive NFL season to date came in 2023, his first year with the Saints, when he set career highs with 50 tackles and 3.5 sacks. His 2018 draft selection in the third round remains a milestone in Fort Hays State football history, and his 2017 MIAA Defensive Player of the Year award stands as the signature individual honor of his college career. In 2025, he added the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week award to his resume after a fourth-quarter blocked field goal against the Panthers.
Other Wins and Performances
At the college level, Shepherd’s 2017 campaign with the Fort Hays State Tigers was the high-water mark of his pre-professional career, and his invitation to the 2018 Senior Bowl remains the clearest sign of how far he had come from his days working odd jobs after leaving Simon Fraser. The Jets’ decision to extend him in 2022 and the Saints’ three-year commitment in 2023 also serve as benchmarks of trust from NFL teams that have leaned on his play.
Nathan Shepherd Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Shepherd grew up in Ajax, Ontario, where his early athletic identity was shaped by the Ajax/Pickering Dolphins Football Club. Public details about his parents and broader family background are limited, and he has kept that part of his life largely private.
Personal Life
Shepherd was born and raised in Canada and remains a Canadian national playing professionally in the United States. Public records about his marital status, spouse, or children are not widely documented, and he tends to keep his personal and family life out of the spotlight.
2025 Season Performance
Shepherd’s 2025 campaign with the Saints has continued his role as a dependable interior defender and an occasional special-teams disruptor. His Week 10 blocked field goal against the Carolina Panthers proved to be one of the turning points in a 17-7 victory and earned him recognition as the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week, an unusual honor for a defensive tackle.
That play highlighted the kind of effort and situational awareness that have defined his tenure in New Orleans since he signed a three-year contract in March 2023. With the Saints continuing to rely on him as part of their defensive line rotation, Shepherd has remained a presence in the run game and on passing downs.
Looking ahead, Shepherd is scheduled to remain under contract with the Saints through the 2025 season, with his current deal running through 2026. If he continues to produce at his recent level, he should remain a meaningful piece of the Saints’ defensive front and a candidate for additional special-teams recognition in the games to come.