Sterling Shepard

[ncfan]

The only guy we know of as of right now that we met with at the combine.  We really like his ability to play in the slot.  Projected in the 2nd, this would be a guy I would not be mad about picking up at all.  If we can get a DE in the 1st and the rest of the 1st round type guys are gone I'm ll for grabbing this guy.

Strong, Quick, with 4.4 speed.  Thing that I like the most from him is his concentration with his hands and his route running.  Think he's one of the better route runners to come out the last few years with the (Coopers, ODB, etc).

 

 

Combine stats:

4.48 40

20 Bench press (highest among WR's)

41" vert (highest among WR's)

123" broad jump 

7.00 3 cone drill

4.35 20 yrd short

http://www.nfl.com/combine/profiles/sterling-shepard?id=2555295

 

 

 

[DaCityKats]

best route runner in the draft. plus proved at the combine he is explosive.

[JawnyBlaze]

1 hour ago, ncfan said:

The only guy we know of as of right now that we met with at the combine.  We really like his ability to play in the slot.  Projected in the 2nd, this would be a guy I would not be mad about picking up at all.  If we can get a DE in the 1st and the rest of the 1st round type guys are gone I'm ll for grabbing this guy.

Strong, Quick, with 4.4 speed.  Thing that I like the most from him is his concentration with his hands and his route running.  Think he's one of the better route runners to come out the last few years with the (Coopers, ODB, etc).

 

 

Combine stats:

4.48 40

20 Bench press (highest among WR's)

41" vert (highest among WR's)

123" broad jump 

7.00 3 cone drill

4.35 20 yrd short

http://www.nfl.com/combine/profiles/sterling-shepard?id=2555295

 

Those numbers, plus the great route runner comments make me think Smitty.  I know that gets tossed around a lot, and I havent even watched this guy's breakdowns, but leaping ability, strength, and route running make me think of Smitty immediately.  Plus, the short thing...

Gonna have to do some research.

[JawnyBlaze]

Ok, just watched that highlight video.  I think he may actually be the best Smitty comparison we've ever seen.  His run after the catch is GREAT.  Very hard to tackle, reminded me a lot of Smitty in the YAC.  Nice jukes, footplants and change directions, spins, etc without overdoing it and losing yards. 

[KDawg004]

Yes, please! I hope he's available when we pick in the 2nd round and Getts pulls the trigger.

[JawnyBlaze]

Watched his breakdown vs Clemson.  I want him, trade up in the 2nd if we have to.  I definitely want him or TE Henry.  Probably Shepard if I had to choose.  One thing was very evident, his QB was horrible.  He makes plays, he's a willing blocker (will have to get a bit more active and aggressive at that in the NFL though), to go along with everything already said.

[Skydivingcows]

2 hours ago, JawnyBlaze said:

Ok, just watched that highlight video.  I think he may actually be the best Smitty comparison we've ever seen.  His run after the catch is GREAT.  Very hard to tackle, reminded me a lot of Smitty in the YAC.  Nice jukes, footplants and change directions, spins, etc without overdoing it and losing yards. 

Here are some other WR comparisons

http://rotoviz.com/2015/12/2016-nfl-draft-prospect-sterling-shepard-wr-oklahoma-tyler-lockett-2-0/

Also, here is a true breakdown if you really want to compare all WRs drafted since 2000 within 10 pounds and an inch of height of Sterling.  Very close to Wright's measures.

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/

Player	Wt	40	VJ	BJ	Cone	Shuttle	Draft Pick	F Age	Ht	Car Rc Yds	Car Rtrn Yds
Kendall Wright	196	4.49	38.5	121	6.93	4.18	20	22.1	70	4004	50
Greg Jennings	197	4.42	36.5	117	6.69	4.18	52	22.3	71	3539	1462
Tyler Lockett	182	4.4	35.5	121	6.89	4.07	69	22.3	70	3710	2684
Justin Hardy	192	4.56	36.5	114	6.63	4.21	107	23	70	4541	495
Cohort Avg	192	4.47	36.8	118	6.79	4.16	62	22.4	70	3949	1173
Sterling Shepherd	194	4.48	41	123	7.00	4.35	TBD	22.9	70	3395	225
Steve Smith	184	4.41	38.5	121	7.44	4.25	74	21.9	69	1603	1365

[JawnyBlaze]

38 minutes ago, Skydivingcows said:

Here are some other WR comparisons

http://rotoviz.com/2015/12/2016-nfl-draft-prospect-sterling-shepard-wr-oklahoma-tyler-lockett-2-0/

Also, here is a true breakdown if you really want to compare all WRs drafted since 2000 within 10 pounds and an inch of height of Sterling.  Very close to Wright's measures.

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/

Player	Wt	40	VJ	BJ	Cone	Shuttle	Draft Pick	F Age	Ht	Car Rc Yds	Car Rtrn Yds
Kendall Wright	196	4.49	38.5	121	6.93	4.18	20	22.1	70	4004	50
Greg Jennings	197	4.42	36.5	117	6.69	4.18	52	22.3	71	3539	1462
Tyler Lockett	182	4.4	35.5	121	6.89	4.07	69	22.3	70	3710	2684
Justin Hardy	192	4.56	36.5	114	6.63	4.21	107	23	70	4541	495
Cohort Avg	192	4.47	36.8	118	6.79	4.16	62	22.4	70	3949	1173
Sterling Shepherd	194	4.48	41	123	7.00	4.35	TBD	22.9	70	3395	225
Steve Smith	184	4.41	38.5	121	7.44	4.25	74	21.9	69	1603	1365

What really leaps out to me there is his jumping numbers (pun intended).  Wright and Smitty were the highest of that group until Shepherd, Shepherd's got them all beat in the explosiveness drills and just lags behind a little in the quickness drills.

[ncfan]

Ginn has done much better for us than most think.  I really think Philly is coming along and will be a Solid player for but expect him to be a #4 type guy.

 

The things Shepard could do from the slot between the trees on the outside may scare the living chit out of DC's in south.  Kid run's such crisp routes and is explosive, along with his hands.  Kid is a very big Hands catcher, and has great concentration along with great knowledge where the ball is.  Another Huge thing that stood out to me the most with him is what Smitty was so good at, what Cotchery was so big at for us.  Benjamin did it a few times as a rookie, but this kid does something you only see Very seasoned vets do that would help Newton a Ton.  He has great knowledge of whats going on in the play.  I have seen clips time after time of him (as @JawnyBlaze has pointed out the QB wasn't the best) of him coming back back when the QB is in trouble and needs the bail out dump.  Cotchery was super clutch with his comeback catches this year, Smitty Bailed out our QB's so much doing it.  This kid is great at it as well.  

We need this kid for the slot!

 

 

 

 

 

[ncfan]

2 game breakdown videos 

1st one is vs Tennessee where he was a BIG part in a Big comeback in knoxville

 

 

2nd one is vs Baylor.  Baylor has a Solid defense and secondary which include CB Xavian Howard who is shooting up the boards as a mid 2nd CB (because scouts say he came out to early and would have been one of the top CB's with a 1st round grade in 17)

 

 

[Rags]

This kid has been flying under the radar for too long. My favorite WR in this draft. I practically squealed when I heard we talked with him.

 

Hell if we took him at the bottom of the 1st I wouldn't be mad. Sure as hell wouldn't be mad if we traded up for him in the 2nd. Expect his stock to fly up in the weeks leading up to the draft.

[uscgamecocks]

One of the best WR analysts I've found over the past few years in Matt Harmon.  He puts an insane amount of work into analyzing and charting draft prospects each year and provides great insight into how players perform under various scenarios and where they win.  He's also a Panthers fan and he now writes for the NFL Network.

He published his analysis of the 2016 draft class a few days ago (linked below).  Based upon his analysis, I would be 100% comfortable with taking Shepard in the first round.  This guy looks like the real deal.

http://www.thebackyardbanter.com/reception-perception-2016-nfl-draft-prospects-results.htmlhttp://www.thebackyardbanter.com/reception-perception-2016-nfl-draft-prospects-results.html

[KB_fan]

Wow.  Nice data.  Will have fun digging in to this later.  Thanks!

[yasuhara2241]

When the year ended I was always thinking that we dont need a WR in the draft because we will be getting KB back and with Funch, Ginn, Philly and maybe Hill we should be set. 

After thinking about this more, I wouldn't be mad at all with the Shepard pick in the 2nd. He would be an immediate upgrade from Philly and we need upgrades at WR.