The 2023 NFL Draft class saw plenty of hype surrounding its quarterback class. Players like Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud and Anthony Richardson were regarded as high-end prospects with the potential to be franchise quarterbacks.
These signal-callers all had something in common. They went to big schools — Alabama, Ohio State and Florida, respectively — and that was expected to help them transition quickly into the NFL.
Stroud, Richardson and Young have all shown flashes throughout the season, but none were able to win their first career start. That's something that only one rookie quarterback has done to date in 2023, and he may have been among the most unlikely candidate to do so.
That would be Tyson Bagent. The Bears' undrafted rookie made his starting debut against the Raiders in Week 7 and helped guide them to a 30-12 victory over Las Vegas. It moved Bagent to 1-0 on the year and gave the Division II product a milestone he won't soon forget.
Bagent has dropped two starts since then but he will get to play his second prime-time game when the Bears play the Panthers on "Thursday Night Football." That will give him a chance to make his improbable NFL journey all the more impressive.
Bagent's name won't be familiar to many, and that's because he played his college at a very small school. He managed to lead Shepherd University to success, but few outside of West Virginia are familiar with the program.
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So, where is Shepherd and how did Bagent land there during his college days? Here's what to know about the school and its first-ever NFL-level alumnus.
Where did Tyson Bagent go to college?
Bagent went to school at Division II Shepherd University. He attended nearby Martinsburg High School, where he passed 41 touchdowns as a senior to become West Virginia's Gatorade Player of the Year.
Despite his success, Bagent was a zero-star recruit and received no interest from FBS schools. Two FCS programs, Albany and Robert Morris, displayed an interest in him but he ultimately decided to stay in-state and play at Shepherd, the university that both of his parents attended.
Where is Shepherd University?
Shepherd University is located in Shepherdstown, W.Va. The town borders the Potomac River and is about 90 minutes away from Washington, D.C.
Shepherd was founded in 1871 as a public liberal arts college. It has remained that to this day, and the university prides itself on its "small class sizes and tight-knit community," as well as its 323-acre campus, per the school's official website. Shepherd has 80-plus majors and had a total enrollment of 3,274 as of the Fall of 2022.
The school's sports programs are known as the Rams and their football team sports a helmet similar to the one the Los Angeles Rams have worn throughout their history. Shepherd also has a blue-and-gold color scheme like the Rams, so it's easy to see from where the inspiration for the school's look is derived.
MORE: How Tyson Bagent, others performed at 2023 Senior Bowl
Tyson Bagent college stats
Bagent played four full seasons at Shepherd and established himself as one of the best players in NCAA Div. II history. He racked up a whopping 17,034 passing yards and 159 passing touchdowns during his career, both of which are among the greatest NCAA marks of all time.
Bagent wasn't required to scramble much during his time at Shepherd, but he still managed to use his mobility to generate 12 rushing touchdowns. He also recorded a 5,000-yard passing season in 2021 with 53 touchdowns and took home the Harlon Hill Trophy as a result of his success.
Below is a look at Bagent's stats in each of his five seasons with the Rams.
| Year | Games played | Comp. % | Passing yards | Pass TDs | INTs |
| 2018 | 10 | 65.4 | 3,029 | 29 | 13 |
| 2019 | 12 | 71.0 | 4,349 | 36 | 13 |
| 2020-21* | 1 | 68.4 | 76 | 0 | 1 |
| 2021 | 15 | 67.5 | 5,000 | 53 | 13 |
| 2022 | 15 | 69.9 | 4,580 | 41 | 8 |
* Season impacted by COVID-19 pandemic.
Tyson Bagent college highlights
You can tell by watching his highlights that Bagent had a high level of understanding of Div. II football. That left little doubt that he had the potential to be an NFL-caliber quarterback.
The only question about Bagent was, what would his ceiling be? Would he be simply a practice squad-type player, or would he be able to adjust to playing against higher-level talent in the NFL?
Bagent did his best to showcase he could compete against Div. I players during his week at the 2023 Senior Bowl. There, he worked with the Bears coaching staff, who were a part of the game, and helped to improve his draft stock and effectively ensure that he would get a chance to play in the NFL.
Here's a look at how Bagent played during his action in the Senior Bowl exhibition game.
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Did Tyson Bagent get drafted?
While Bagent's performance at the Senior Bowl guaranteed that he would get a chance to prove himself at the NFL level, he was not among the 14 quarterbacks selected in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Bagent signed with the Bears after going undrafted in the hopes of landing a spot on the practice squad or active roster. He managed to beat out veteran PJ Walker for the backup job and ended up as the No. 2 quarterback for Chicago.
Now, he is starting for the team with Fields out of action, and we will look to continue proving that he has what it takes to be a quality NFL quarterback.
