After leaving Simon Fraser, Shepherd spent time in various jobs including working in a plant nursery, electrical construction, and a cardboard box factory.

Shepherd was productive during Senior Bowl practices and had his draft stock rise significantly after displaying speed, power, and technique while going up against the top offensive linemen in the nation.

[5] Shepherd suffered a broken hand during Senior Bowl practice and was unable to participate in the official game.

I’ve had a couple NFL people tell me that he’s actually bigger than Malik Jackson, but offers that kind of versatility of inside-outside.

[8][9] At the conclusion of the pre-draft process, Shepherd was projected to be a second or third round pick by NFL draft experts and scouts.

It was revealed that Shepherd underwent a sports hernia surgery in the off-season plus battling a shoulder issue and a herniated disc in his back.