BY TRISTAN SASSE
PHOTOS COURTESY OF FHSU ATHLETICS
On Monday, March 12, Fort Hays State University hosted an NFL Pro Day at Schmidt-Bickle Training Facility. For the Tigers, Brandon Brown and Nathan Shepherd impressed scouts from nearly half of the NFL teams.
Brandon Brown went 11-for-11 on field goals, including a successful attempt from 65 yards. The current NFL in-game record for a field goal is 63 yards. In addition to his successful Pro Day, Brown placed as a top kicker at the Kohl’s Pro Kicking Combine in Arizona last month.
With recent success, Brown is ready for the journey ahead.
“In between all this, I will be training harder than ever in order to achieve a lifelong dream,” said Brown. “Being a professional athlete is something I would forever be grateful for.”
Meanwhile, Nathan Shepherd focused solely on defensive drills, as he competed in the NFL Combine a few weeks ago from Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. After an impressive Senior Bowl and Combine showing, Shepherd’s draft stock continues to rise. The Cincinnati Bengals, New York Jets, and Philadelphia Eagles all showed interest in Shepherd at the Pro Day.
Coming from a Division II school, Shepherd won’t let that stop him from achieving his goals.
“Don’t let where you’re at define you,” said Shepherd in an interview with Gerard Wellbrock of Eagle Communications. “If you set a plan, you set goals, you reach those goals then one-day things are going to pay off.”
Both players will continue to prepare for the NFL Draft on April 26-28. The draft will take place at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, home of the Dallas Cowboys. This year will mark the first time a draft is held at an NFL stadium.