Russell Shepard, Senior, Wide Receiver, LSU
Overview:
Coming out of high school Russell Shepard was a highly regarded wide receiver and quarterback. As a freshman at LSU he played some quarterback in their Wildcat offense. He even lined up at running back and, of course, wide receiver. In 2010 the quarterback position was pretty much out of the equation and Shepard spent his time out wide and at running back. By his junior season in 2011, Shepard was just a wide receiver. However, he failed to live up to his quality 2010 season.
In ten appearances and four starts, Shepard caught just 14 passes for 190 yards. Four of those 14 receptions resulted in touchdowns and it is not like LSU threw the ball a lot, but Shepard was obviously left out of the mix more than he wanted. After the BCS Championship game he planned to leave LSU. He quickly retracted that statement and is back at LSU.
Final Projection:
Shepard has big play ability and he has shown it off a few times during his collegiate career. With Reuben Randle off in the NFL, Shepard should be the go-to-guy for the Tigers. However, he has been passed on the depth chart before. But if Shepard can live up to his potential as a playmaker, the 6-1 senior could emerge as a dangerous weapon and NFL teams will like his combination of size and speed.
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