freshman DB with prototype size and room to pop
In the 2026 season, Shanden Thedford Jr. is listed as a 6-foot-1, 180-pound freshman defensive back for South Dakota Mines, which gives him the frame coaches love for a coverage-first DB with developmental upside.[1][2] His biggest draw is projection: he already has the length and build to handle matchup football, and a young player on a depth chart at a hard-nosed Division II program can be a sneaky-good long-term fit for a team that values size, athletic growth, and special-teams versatility.[1][2]
