New York Giants Draft Prospect: WR Will Sheppard, Colorado/Vanderbilt

Will Sheppard tended to be overlooked on the Buffaloes' offense because of Travis Hunter, but he brings some intrigue to his game.

Nick Falato | Mar 19, 2025

Oct 19, 2024; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Colorado Buffalos wide receiver Will Sheppard (14) against the Arizona Wildcats at Arizona Stadium. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

In this story:

If Colorado receiver Will Sheppard can iron out some of his game's inconsistencies, he could become a viable outside option for a team.

MORE: They Might Be Giants: 2025 Draft Prospect Scouting Reports

Will Sheppard, WR

Height: 6’2”
Weight: 198 lbs
Hand size: 9 ⅞”
Arm length: 32 ¼”
Wingspan: 78 ⅛”
Class: 5th-Year Senior
School: Colorado / Vanderbilt
STATS

A former three-star recruit out of Mandeville High School in Mandeville, Louisiana, where he was the 17th player in his state and the 73rd wide receiver prospect during the 2020 recruiting cycle.

Sheppard attended Vanderbilt University for four seasons before transferring to Colorado after 2023. He was a four-star recruit in the transfer portal, the 76th overall player, and the 15th graded wide receiver, per 247 Sports.

Sheppard is primarily an outside wide receiver, aligning in the slot just 11.2% of the time through his five collegiate seasons. He had a 1.65 yards per route run with 19 career drops – an 8.7% drop rate. He saw 115 contested catch opportunities in college, and he secured 38.3% of them.

His catch rate was significantly better with Shedeur Sanders throwing him the ball in 2024; on average, his college catch rate was 56.2%, but that percentage rose to 69.6% in 2024.

Sheppard was a Third-Team All-SEC selection in 2022 and a Midseason All-American selection (third team) in 2023, finishing as a midseason First-Team All-SEC selection that same season. Sheppard attended the East-West Shrine Bowl but was a combine snub.

Strengths

Big body with a good frame and length
Large catch radius with long arms
Solid overall athlete with efficient feet and solid foot speed
Variety of different releases off the line of scrimmage
Gets off the line of scrimmage with a plan
Deceptive up his stem – quality route runner
Smart overall route runner and manipulator – savvy and crafty
Intelligent – understands how to attack defender’s leverage/positioning
Good receiving option along the sideline
Solid work up the vertical plane outside the numbers
Will initiate contact and create extra separation before his break
High processor vs. zone coverage – gives quarterback throwing window
Maximized frame at catch point with good box-out technique
Adjusted well on back-shoulder throws – good spatial awareness/timing
Good overall balance and body control in the air
Large nearly 10” hands
Flashed acrobatic catches through his Colorado tape
Solid contested catch ability, albeit not always consistent
Dangerous red zone threat
Surprising YAC ability – forced 13 missed tackles as a WR
Not an easy guy to bring down – good contact balance with solid one-cut
Solid blocker for a WR

The Colorado WRs have been impressive all week at the Shrine Bowl.

Wonderful back shoulder catch from Will Sheppard: pic.twitter.com/qWpBBS1zDl
— NFL Draft Files (@NFL_DF) January 31, 2025

Weaknesses

Lacks vertical separation ability and difference-making athletic traits
Could develop better hands vs. press to maximize release
Lacks twitch and explosiveness
Frustrating drops and inconsistent overall ability to secure passes
Inconsistent finishing ability
Flashed release excellence vs. press, but it was inconsistent
Failed to secure more than 60 passes in any season; never had more than 768 receiving yards in a year
Older prospect

Sep 21, 2024; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver Will Sheppard (14) stretches before the game against the Baylor Bears at Folsom Field. / Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

Summary

Will Sheppard is a long-striding, smart receiver who understands how to run routes and work against zone coverage. He lacks high-end athletic traits, which hinders his overall upside. His inconsistent hands are also a source of frustration.

Despite his lack of true verticality, Sheppard won on the vertical plane through deceptive and savvy means of creating separation. He also did a solid job adjusting to back shoulder throws and securing passes in contested catch situations.

Sheppard has a solid array of smooth releases that can stack vs. press. His understanding and processing as a receiver can take him so far, even with a capped ceiling. Still, he’ll be a red zone threat who can continue to hone in on his strengths better to situate himself as a young receiver in the NFL.

GRADE: 6.12