Sterling Shepard Question

Although short.....he is not small. He has a powerful frame. Seems to run good routes, running the entire route tree. He is considered a good blocker as well.

What I like best, he does not drop passes.

No coronation yet.....some answers still need to be answered:

Is he exclusively a slot receiver or can he handle the outside?

Can he break press coverage?

Than all the above guys mentioned (besides OBJ) and with the run on WRs late in the first round, I for one was surprised he lasted to our second pick. I like him better than Doctson and Fuller who went in round 1 to Washington and Houston. He was talked up as possibly being the next Wes Welker, 100 catch per season type of guy. He was not the best rated but most pro ready WR based on his route running ability, last time we took a WR with that same component his name was Odell. So there is good reason to be optimistic with Sterling Shepard

is as insurance for Cruz as someone who could cause a bit of concern to teams that commit all their resources to covering you-know-who.

I loved Toomer etc, but the Giants have never had a receiver of that stature before -- which changes everything.

great character and work ethic.

...it's only because of their respective draft positions. Fans would've been ecstatic if the Giants had landed OBJ in the early part of round 2, just as many would have questioned the use of the 12th pick in the draft on Shepard.

As for why we should be more confident in Shepard than we were with Moss, Randle, Barden, and Jernigan, I can't speak for others, but for me it's his maturity, intelligence, and college productivity that sets him apart from the others. He doesn't have the size of Randle or Barden and probably isn't as quick as Jernigan or Moss, but he is less of a projection from college to the NFL (in other words, we don't have to rely on him being "coached up"--we already know he is coachable).

In comment 13009483 Ira said:

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great character and work ethic.

What Ira said about the work ethic and character which frankly I can't recall having heard about any draft prospect for the Giants since Eli Manning!
Re your comment

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...I feel like i read similar hype and expectations on here about Sinorice Moss, Reuben Randle, Jerrel Jernigan and Ramses Barden, and people appear to be more excited about this kid thatn they were the OBJ selection (that is probably because it didnt feel like the right position of need)...

It's a different level of excitement from the chatter about any of the above, and more importantly the chatter is from different sources. In the past when camps were held in Albany we were inundated with a lot of fans' observations together with those from the press, and I think it was easy to stir them together to get an unduly optimistic opinion on prospects while practicing.

But this time, the silly level praise is coming from OBJ who we believe must have a great eye for WRs' skills, and what really floors me is what Steve Spagnuolo has said about mistaking Shepard for OBJ in the film room. Not to mention the numerous comparisons to Victor Cruz... We really haven't read or heard praise like that before. Not at that level of optimism and not coming from those people.

Lastly, OBJ has prolly very unrealistically raised our expectations for what a rookie WR can accomplish...

he's tougher than those other recent WRs you mentioned. He's not afraid to go over the middle and block downfield. He's got a little Hines Ward to his game.

has shown the Giants so far has been done in a free-access environment. He knew he wasn't going to be hit. He played in a college conference that most resembles basketball of any in the country. When the games start for real, then, and only then, will we see what he has. Wide receiver evaluations in camp are the most plentiful and the most ridiculously wrong of any offered. I won't go through the list of camp wunderkinds, drafted both high and low, who turned out to be flat tires. But we do have to wait and see. I didn't realize Spagnuolo viewed film. He always says he goes with his gut.

last year. This is when I really first noticed Shepard and was very impressed. He lined up all over the place, ran all the routes and showed great hands.

Not trying to overemphasize it, but you can see a little bit of "OBJ" in this kid.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BhatqDTiTI

& has a very high football which is something we were missing with Randle. Shepard isn't going to run the wrong route. He will be right where he needs to be. Not to mention he has great athleticism & even better hands. When I watched him he reminded me of college Odell. Great hands catcher. Goes over the middle with no fear & can go up over defenders to make the catch. He's the best overall WR in this draft class IMO

His 40 is right there with Odell. He did 13 more reps of 225. Better broad & vertical jump then Odell.

I didn't even read what you said until after I made my above post. I said the exact same thing. Reminds me of Odell, but he isn't elite after the catch like Odell is. He's good, but not Odell good.

If Cruz can stay healthy we have 3 WRs who can score from any route anywhere on the field.

that could be a movie. Football legacy who was literally raised by the Oklahoma football program only to go on to become one of their most productive players in team history.

BBI, like the Giant brass, is putting so much pressure on this guy to succeed....

He is a huge piece in this Giant puzzle......

We all know how Randle hampered this offense.....but we are expecting a rookie to come right in and replace him?.....and as has been mentioned, is he more a slot receiver or a WR?

If the Cruz experiment fails, and he becomes the slot receiver, who replaces Randle?

Harris has his limitations.....and he was dinged a few times as a receiver, affecting his special teams play....it's almost essential that another WR is found......

It will be a miracle if Davis, White, or one of the UDFA's fills that spot....

However, if Cruz, is able to return to form, this takes some of the pressure off of Shepard, but it also puts him on the outside, where he may or not be manhandled by corners.........

On paper, it's plug and play....in the real world, we just don't know how he will react to the pressure he will be under, and if he can handle being an outside receiver.....

I hope he can......he has to for this team to succeed....preseason games can't come fast enough to find these answers....OBj, a healthy Cruz, a quick learning Shepard, and Harris as a fourth, will create nightmares for opposing DC's....let's hope it happens....

Receiver? Because he's short? IMO his best position is on the outside & Jordan Raanan said he's worked far more on the outside then in the slot.

Every year the media writes countless stories about the top draft choices with speculation about how much their play will add to the team.

These articles create a "buzz" among the fans, but it's usually a fake buzz, because there really isn't any evidence that the buzz about the new player is coming from the team or from his teammates.

But every once in a while the buzz about a new player DOES come from the team and his teammates.

A number of writers have written that the Giants are really excited about Shepard after seeing him perform in camp.

Then you read OBJ's comments about Shepard and you have to be thinking that there's no way he would be THAT complementary if he wasn't seeing something special too.

I don't recall hearing that the Giants were really excited about Randle, Moss, Jernigan and Barden AFTER they got them in camp, nor do I remember an established Giants' receiver speaking in such glowing terms about their potential.

We'll all know soon enough, but in Shepard's case it looks like the "buzz" is real.

that impressed me. When he wants something he does all it takes to get it. He seems to have the bloodlines and desire to be a very good pro football player. I think when it comes to putting in the work to be better this kid has some of what Jeter had for the Yankees in baseball.

In comment 13009504 RetroJint said:

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has shown the Giants so far has been done in a free-access environment. He knew he wasn't going to be hit. He played in a college conference that most resembles basketball of any in the country. When the games start for real, then, and only then, will we see what he has. Wide receiver evaluations in camp are the most plentiful and the most ridiculously wrong of any offered. I won't go through the list of camp wunderkinds, drafted both high and low, who turned out to be flat tires. But we do have to wait and see. I didn't realize Spagnuolo viewed film. He always says he goes with his gut.

Hey great way to sneak a cheap shot at Spags onto a Sterling Shepard thread. I won't pretend to know if the football conference Shepard played in plays a "basketball" style of game or not, but I guess you never saw the linked play vs Baylor? The targeting call was valid,IMO, and that sure doesn't look like round ball to me...
Shepard played out by Baylor DB in 2013. - ( New Window )

for the conference they play in, but even if you want to. You can go look at his stats against an SEC team in 2014 or one of the best defenses on all of college football in 2015.

Against Tennessee in 2014 & 2015 he had 12 catches, 173 yards & 2 TDs.

Against Clemson he had 7 catches for 87 yards where his QB was getting absolutely mauled & left the game injured as did OU's top two RBs.

one of the things about SS that stands out is his YAC ability. He is shifty and very quick so he can and will make defenders miss. Teams will have to keep a safety waaaaay back or either OBJ or SS will burn them.

IMO, he reminds me of a poor man's OBJ rather than Cruz. I see SS playing on the outside with no worries. A comparison to Steve Smith Sr. seems accurate.

Minus the monster breakaway speed and beyond human hand-eye coordination.

He seems like a clear talent upgrade to Randle.

In comment 13009472 George from PA said:

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Although short.....he is not small. He has a powerful frame. Seems to run good routes, running the entire route tree. He is considered a good blocker as well. What I like best, he does not drop passes. No coronation yet.....some answers still need to be answered: Is he exclusively a slot receiver or can he handle the outside? Can he break press coverage?

The guy played in (13) games last year at Oklahoma, caught 86 balls for 1288 yds with an awsome YAC. Don't forget that they ran the ball down opponents throats with Derrick Henry.

In comment 13009598 Osi Osi Osi OyOyOy said:

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Minus the monster breakaway speed and beyond human hand-eye coordination. He seems like a clear talent upgrade to Randle.

And arms of 6'3" WR.

Clearly, Shepard isn't a "freak" level physical talent. But he's impressive, you wouldn't expect a player with the rest of his skillset to have such an impressive vertical and catch radius.

Played for Alabama :) They ran the ball down teams throats with Samaje Perine.

Also Shepard had a below average QB for Shepard's first 3 years.

In comment 13009529 Big Rick in FL said:

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Receiver? Because he's short? IMO his best position is on the outside & Jordan Raanan said he's worked far more on the outside then in the slot.

I think he can absolutely go outside, but I do believe Giants are best served having him in the slot because his #1 attribute to me is his quick cuts & ability to bounce all over the place with run after the catch.

Hines Ward

reminds me of Steve Smith Sr.

In comment 13009514 Big Rick in FL said:

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I didn't even read what you said until after I made my above post. I said the exact same thing.

always considered you to be very astute Rick...

:-)

is on the outside. He has much more room to operate & the type of CBs covering him will be much different.

In the slot he has the smaller shiftier guys covering him. On the outside he has the bigger guys covering him & he should be able to create a lot of space. Plus he can go over guys & get the ball. Which is something we've never really seen with Cruz.

I think you keep Shep on the outside & let Cruz go back to the slot position. He was much more productive from the slot then he was on the outside. Although I'm sure they will have these guys playing all over the place. Which is the best thing for the Giants IMO. Our top 4 WRs can play all 3 WR positions. That should be a pain for the defense.

After I watched him the first time I immediately text a friend of mine whose an Eagles fan. This is before the Giants drafted him. I said I don't know why we aren't seeing the comparison, but Shepard is so similar to Odell it's scary. He was my favorite WR in the draft. I just assumed we were going to draft a bigger WR so I paid more attention to guys like Doctson, Carroo, Boyd. I think Shepard is a perfect fit for this offense. I'm so excited for him. I just pray he stays healthy.

in slot as he used too and can he takes the quick cuts, hits from guys hanging around the middle.

and for the most part, they turned out to be true:

Randle - questionable intelligence and work ethic. True.
Moss - small production at big school, played scared. True.
Barden - no burst off the line, played against low level competition in college, raw. True.
Jernigan - low level competition, played scared. True.

We only hit a strike on OBJ and Nicks (for a limited time).

Shepard pros are everything we can ask for: intelligence, work ethic, fearless, heart, route-running, hands, catches balls at the high point, etc.

He will likely be a productive possession receiver. He was a good pick in the second round. But his speed/size makes it unlikely he will be a top WR in the game.

He's far more then a possession receiver. As you can see from his average of 15 yards per catch for his college career. He did that with shitty QBs for his first 3 years.

Caught 11 of 17 deep passes with 4 TDs & 0 drops last year. Which was the highest percent of deep passes caught in college football last year.

who cares how tall he is?

as Cruz's were at his pro day.

40: 4.47 vs 4.48
Bench press: 16 vs 20
3 cone: 6.96 vs 7.00
Vert jump: 41.5 vs 41.0
Broad jump: 125" vs 123"
Short shuttle: 4.17 vs 4.35

The short shuttle is so out of line with the rest of the data it's probably an anomaly...

And Shepard has better hands than Cruz who sometimes gets dropped when he starts to run before he looks the ball into his hands...

Comparing him to OBJ is silly because Beckham might well be truly one of a kind... but vintage prime Cruz is prolly just about right. With better blocking and fewer drops.

He's as good as Odell. His style of play is more similar to Odell then Cruz IMO.

In comment 13009900 Big Rick in FL said:

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He's as good as Odell. His style of play is more similar to Odell then Cruz IMO.

Keep in mind we are on the same side on this topic Ric... but what makes you say that?

I was just pointing out we weren't saying he's as good. Just similar style if play.

Just watch him. The way he moves, catches the ball, creates separation, goes up over defenders. It reminds me of Odell.

but the otherworldly thing about OBJ, to my mind, even more than the warp drive and hand eye that's like a squid or something deep underwater, it's the way Odell multi-tasks. He can track balls over the shoulder, while at the same time hand fighting and boxing out or some other bump and grind, and the just attack a ball in the air like an iron dome guided missile, and contort, gyrate, and extend to grab the ball.

We haven't seen that yet from SS IMO.

Roll on that opening pre season game against Miami! struggling to remember a pre season with so many exciting position battles going on.

Looking forward to seeing all rookies in giants colours properly!

In comment 13009504 RetroJint said:

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has shown the Giants so far has been done in a free-access environment. He knew he wasn't going to be hit. He played in a college conference that most resembles basketball of any in the country. When the games start for real, then, and only then, will we see what he has. Wide receiver evaluations in camp are the most plentiful and the most ridiculously wrong of any offered. I won't go through the list of camp wunderkinds, drafted both high and low, who turned out to be flat tires. But we do have to wait and see. I didn't realize Spagnuolo viewed film. He always says he goes with his gut.

This coming from the same poster that started a thread a few weeks back on Zeke Elliot projecting 2,500 yards and 20 TDs his rookie season. I guess you can take a lot more from how RBs perform in spring camp then WRs.... Especially players on a division rival. Yep - okay.

I initially was turned off because of his size. I wanted a tall WR so we can have some help in the redzone. Then when i saw his highlights it thought our offense has 3 guys with incredible YAC ability. and he fits our offense perfectly. With him and a healthy Cruz, it is going to be hard for defenses to double odell. The only way to stop them is to get to Eli. Eli gets rid of the ball in 3 seconds and if they dare to blitz, it could lead to huge plays. Sheppard is a great route runner with great hands and a high football IQ. Plus he has a great qb and two other WRs to take pressure off him.

My prediction for him this year is 72 rec 900 plus yards and 8 TDs.

what i like about this kid is the hard-nosed demeanor. always useful on a football field. blocking, reverses, going over the middle - this kid makes the offense tougher while adding all the skills. tremendous competitor and the minute you overload on OBJ this kid will kill you