If Todd McShay is correct, Nathan Shepherd, a defensive tackle from Fort Hays State, will be the first D2 football prospect off the board in the 2018 NFL Draft.
[divider]2018 NFL DRAFT:
Draft Home | Compare Draft Prospects | Prospect Rankings
Compare NFL Teams | Compare NFL Players[divider]
McShay recently released his "Perfect 2018 Mock" and sent the defensive lineman to the Buffalo Bills with the 65th pick overall, or the first pick in the third round.
Here's McShay's methodology for the mock draft: "I'm not projecting picks based on what I'm hearing around the league. This is me making 100 picks — three full rounds — based on what's best for each team at that slot, so that each team gets an "A" grade from me. And yes, I'm following Kiper's rules on this one and not making any trades."
MORE: 2018 NFL Mock Draft D2.0: Imagining a First Round of Only D2 Football Prospects
Under those parameters, McShay sent the D2 d-tackle to the Bills to help shore up a defensive line that has lost some key parts. McShay described the fit: "Shepard is a good small-school player and could help fill the hole left by trading Marcell Dareus."
The perfect mock also listed one more third-round D2 prospect — West Georgia tackle Desmond Harrison, who McShay Mocked to the Houston Texans.
[divider]
NEXT: Todd McShay Mocks D2 Prospect Desmond Harrison in 3rd Round
