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Manny Diaz's Duke lands commitment of RB Nate Sheppard to the class of 2025
Three-star running back Nate Sheppard from Mandeville High School in Louisiana has committed to Duke for the 2025 class, choosing the Blue Devils over Northwestern and Tulane. He has received more than 20 Division I offers and made his decision after a visit to Durham in June.
In an interview with Rivals, the 5-foot-10, 170-pound Sheppard shared the reasons behind his commitment to coach Manny Diaz's program.
"This is a football decision first, but the degree is a big part of it," Sheppard said. "Football doesn't last forever and Duke is a very prestigious academic institution."
Duke's culture and coaching staff also played a big role in Sheppard's commitment decision.
"There's obviously a good culture up there as they transfer it over to Manny Diaz, who's a wonderful head coach and a lot of experience," Sheppard said. "Running backs coach Willie Simmons -- that speaks for itself. He was a head coach and has knowledge for the game and has been heavy recruiting me. I talk to Coach Simmons every day."
Sheppard is ranked by On3 as the No. 18 prospect in Louisiana’s 2025 class and the No. 35 running back. 247Sports places him as the No. 74 running back in the class and the No. 36 prospect in Louisiana. He believes he fits well with Duke’s program.
"I fit in very well over there," Sheppard said. "Being Duke and having a higher academic standard, there's a lot of kids like me that wanna be great and are smart enough to understand the sport and grow as a team."
Nate Sheppard’s brother, Will Sheppard, is a receiver at Colorado and previously played at Vanderbilt, where he finished seventh all-time in receiving yards. His father, Willie Sheppard, played as a defensive back at Louisiana Tech, and his mother, Rebekah Boyd, was a volleyball player in the same program.
Nate Sheppard's high school teacher shares his fit at Duke
Nate Sheppard's commitment marked the first senior-class recruit from Louisiana for the Blue Devils. With his pledge, the program's 2025 recruiting class now boasts 24 players, placing it at No. 52 nationally and No. 12 within the ACC.
Craig Jones, Sheppard's high school coach, is confident that Duke is an ideal fit for the running back.
“I think it’s awesome,” Jones said. “I think (Duke) is a school that will challenge (Sheppard) academically, and he’ll thrive there because he loves being challenged. To top it off, they’ll be very good athletically as well."
Jones also anticipated immediate contributions from Sheppard.
“I think he’ll contribute right away on special teams,” Jones said. “He definitely has the opportunity as a running back and even potentially somewhere on defense because he plays everywhere for us. He’s a football player, a competitor.”
Sheppard's high school career includes 1,096 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns in the 2023 season, following a sophomore year where he amassed 1,715 all-purpose yards and 25 scores.
Nate Sheppard also excels in basketball and track and field. His track achievements include an 11.53-second 100-meter dash and a 22-foot, 0.5-inch long jump. He also qualified for the Louisiana 5A regional meet in the 110-meter hurdles and long jump this year.
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