After excelling at the Northern Colorado camp this summer, Castle View offensive lineman Nate Shepherd left the Greeley campus with an offer in hand. It took him until the final weekend before National Signing Day, but this senior finally felt that UNC was the right fit.
“I went up there last year when (UNC coach Earnest Collins, Jr.) was first there,” said Shepherd, who is 6-foot-3, 290 pounds. “I heard his speech on what he was trying to do. Coming back up there and meeting with the players and coaches, the attitude of the whole team has changed. I think they are on the rise. It seemed like the best fit for me where I can come in and play early. That was a big thing. It seemed like the best fit.”
An official trip really helped him pick his future program.
“It was great just to see that attitude change of the whole team,” Shepherd said. “You can expect great things from them. It was great visiting with the coaches to see where I was with them. It was a great visit.”
Quick Hitters:
• Arvada West defensive tackle Austin Hendrickson also committed to Northern Colorado. He had attention from Air Force and Colorado State late in the process as well.
• Mullen athlete Addie Brown ended the recruiting process by committing to Fort Hays State.
• Highlands Ranch offensive lineman Ed Caldwell decided to walk-on at the University of Colorado. He turned down offers from Northern Colorado and Colorado School of Mines.
• Lake County defensive end Kris Johnson is expected to sign with Dakota State after verbally committing there last week.
• Lakewood quarterback Dylan Nelson nearly has a final decision but has one hurdle to pass first: “I am waiting on receiving my appointment from West Point,” he said. “If I get an appointment, I’ll be playing football there.”
• Lakewood wide receiver Cassius Simpson received an opportunity to play at one of the best schools in the country and couldn’t turn it down. He’ll play at Penn. ” It is really a great academic school and I love the city of Philadelphia,” he said. “I really like the guys on their team.”
Christian James is the publisher of ColoradoPrepReport.com. His column appears regularly on DenverPost.com. Contact him: christian@copreps.com or .
