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Photo by: Duke Athletics
10/23/2025 2:02:00 PM | Football
DURHAM, N.C. – Duke running back Nate Sheppard was one of five student-athletes added to the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award Watch List.
The Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award has been presented to the most outstanding college freshman in college football since 2018. It is named in honor of Shaun Alexander, a former standout at the University of Alabama and 2005 NFL MVP with the Seattle Seahawks. This award honors the nation's most outstanding freshman, recognizing his exceptional performance and significant impact on his team throughout the season.
In his first season at Duke, Sheppard leads the Blue Devils with 56 carries for 504 yards and a team second-best four touchdowns. Duke has not had a freshman top the team in rushing yardage since Jela Duncan in 2012 (553). Sheppard also earned a place on the On3 Midseason True Freshman All-American Team.
The Mandeville, La., product owns 629 yards from scrimmage this season (497 rushing and 132 receiving). He is just the seventh ACC true freshman in the last 15 years with 600 or more scrimmage yards and five or more scrimmage touchdowns through seven career games.
Sheppard and Duke are averaging 36.5 points per ACC contest and rank 11th nationally, and third among Power Four teams, in points per league game. The Blue Devils own 146 total points in their first four ACC games, tied with the 1994 squad for the most in four conference games since the league formed in 1953.
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The Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award has been presented to the most outstanding college freshman in college football since 2018. It is named in honor of Shaun Alexander, a former standout at the University of Alabama and 2005 NFL MVP with the Seattle Seahawks. This award honors the nation's most outstanding freshman, recognizing his exceptional performance and significant impact on his team throughout the season.
In his first season at Duke, Sheppard leads the Blue Devils with 56 carries for 504 yards and a team second-best four touchdowns. Duke has not had a freshman top the team in rushing yardage since Jela Duncan in 2012 (553). Sheppard also earned a place on the On3 Midseason True Freshman All-American Team.
The Mandeville, La., product owns 629 yards from scrimmage this season (497 rushing and 132 receiving). He is just the seventh ACC true freshman in the last 15 years with 600 or more scrimmage yards and five or more scrimmage touchdowns through seven career games.
Sheppard and Duke are averaging 36.5 points per ACC contest and rank 11th nationally, and third among Power Four teams, in points per league game. The Blue Devils own 146 total points in their first four ACC games, tied with the 1994 squad for the most in four conference games since the league formed in 1953.
The Maxwell Football Club and the Shaun Alexander Award have once again partnered with Pro Football Focus (PFF) and Phil Steele Publications as selection committee partners. PFF provides detailed metrics and performance-based assessments to selection committee staff, with several senior PFF analysts members of the selection committee. Phil Steele's College Football Preview is generally recognized as the most complete preseason magazine.
For more information on Duke Football, follow the Blue Devils on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching "DukeFOOTBALL".#GoDuke
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