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Sterling Shephard-Dynamic Partner for Odell and Eli!

HeavyLevy : 4/29/2016 8:04 pm
Does He Fit With the Giants?

Sterling Shepard doesn't look like the prototypical NFL receiver, but he does look an awful lot like two of the top receivers in the game in Odell Beckham and Antonio Brown.

Like Beckham and Brown, Shepard uses his size to his advantage with quickness and precise route running. On top of that, his explosive lower body, strong hands, and basketball background let him play bigger than he lists. It's unrealistic to expect Shepard to have the kind of immediate impact that Beckham's experience in a pro-style system and rapport with Eli Manning allowed him to have, or become as dominant as Brown. However, players with raw talent and work ethic rarely go astray.

Dez Bryant, Julio Jones, Demaryius Thomas, those guys are the prototype for the NFL wide receiver. Big, athletic, able to out-muscle smaller defenders and run past bigger ones. But there's another breed of receiver making waves in the League. Smaller receivers who use their routes and quickness to gain separation, who can exploit the holes in defenses, and the league's rules regarding coverage. Smaller receivers who play big, like Antonio Brown, Odell Beckham Jr., and Tyler Lockett are some of the most dangerous offensive players in the league, even though they might not be the most physically imposing.

That's the type of player Sterling Shepard could be. He already knows how to use his size and athleticism to his advantage. If he can continue to build and improve on his craft, Shepard stands a chance of being the next one.
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HeavyLevy : 4/29/2016 8:05 pm : link
Pros

Lightning quick. Shepard is able to separate in a blink
Very reliable (and surprisingly big) hands. Only eight drops compared to 253 catches
Very precise route runner.
Explosive lower body with a 41-inch vertical leap and 10-foot, 3-inch broad jump. Makes for a surprisingly large catch radius
Former basketball player.
Reportedly high work ethic and character.
Tracks the ball in the air well.


Cons

Undersized. At 5-foot-10, 194 pounds, he is much smaller than NFL teams usually prefer.
Stronger than you'd assume given his stature, but could struggle against bigger press corners in the NFL.
Doesn't have the blazing speed to
This is the next evolution of NFL offense  
SHO'NUFF : 4/29/2016 8:16 pm : link
Teams will be forced to draft and field more "slot" cornerbacks to counter OBJ/VC/SS.
I love that he  
X : 4/29/2016 8:22 pm : link
has huge hands and seldom drops a ball.
If Shepherd is legit, and all signs point to that  
SoDev : 4/30/2016 1:19 am : link
the Giants have traded in their LB's last century to WR's this century.

You will never address every need in any draft, but these last few offseasons have really given us a step forward and a chance to get Eli in the playoffs a couple of more times with a little health and a little luck our way, please.

Don't know about this year, but it will surely be fun and interesting as any I can remember. So much yute out there.
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