NFL Draft 2018: 4 defensive tackles the Minnesota Vikings could possibly select

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 27: Harrison Phillips of Stanford and team mates celebrate winning the College Football Sydney Cup match between Stanford University (Stanford Cardinal) and Rice University (Rice Owls) at Allianz Stadium on August 27, 2017 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images) /

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Nathan Shepherd, Fort Hays State

Measurements:

6-foot-5
315 pounds

2017 Stats:

38 total tackles (12.5 for a loss)
4 sacks

Draft Projection: Rounds 4-6

Another small school guy the Vikings could be interested in, Shepherd’s massive frame doesn’t prevent him from moving around like an edge-rusher at times. Relentless is a word that perfectly describes how he approaches each of his snaps out on the field.

Blocking him one-on-one never turned out to be a good idea for his opponents. Thanks to his explosiveness, constant double-teams still couldn’t stop Shepherd from being a hassle for opposing offenses either.

Prior to injuring his hand, the young defensive tackle was drawing plenty of interest from NFL scouts with his impressive play during the 2018 Senior Bowl practices.

Next: 4 running backs the Vikings could draft in 2018

His lack of competition while playing at the Division II level in college is definitely something to take into account when evaluating his potential. But for teams like Minnesota that have a good track record of getting the most out of their defensive linemen, Shepherd would be a great player for the Vikings to take a chance on this year.

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