Nate Sheppard is Duke’s engine room, and he’s just getting warmed up
In the 2025 season, Nate Sheppard broke out as Duke’s lead back, rushing for 1,132 yards and 11 touchdowns while adding 37 catches for 286 yards, then entered 2026 as a returning starter and a top-10 returning RB by PFF[2][5]. He’s a compact, sturdy 5-10, 205-pound runner with real three-down juice: burst, balance, receiving value, and enough grit to handle a heavy workload. Duke’s coaches and national observers see him as the unquestioned top back, which is football speak for “feed this man the ball.”[6][7][14]
