Tag: Ajani Sheppard

Watch: Rutgers football freshman quarterback Ajani Sheppard in offseason workouts

Ajani Sheppard is showing good progress in offseason workouts.

Ajani Sheppard is putting in work this offseason following the completion of his first spring workouts as a Rutgers football player.

A video posted by Matt Simms to social media on Wednesday shows a snapshot of Sheppard’s continued offseason work. It also shows his potential as a passer.

Simms, a former NFL quarterback who is now a trainer, has been working with Sheppard over the past couple of years. He recently praised the performance of Sheppard in offseason workouts prior to the start of spring practice.

Sheppard is a former three-star recruit from Iona Prep (New Rochelle, N.Y.). He committed to Rutgers in November after de-committing from Old Dominion just days before.

Sheppard had an impressive senior season as he threw for 2,393 yards with 21 touchdowns and six interceptions. He also proved himself to be a dual threat as he ran the ball 142 times for 1,291 yards with 11 touchdowns.

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Iona Prep finished the season 9-3. Their schedule was highlighted by a 42-35 win over Don Bosco Prep, a New Jersey powerhouse program.

In talking with Rutgers Wire last month, Simms said that Sheppard has the potential to be an impact player in the Big Ten.

“He’s a guy that with a little bit more experience, he’s going to be, I think, someone that can be a very dynamic football player in the Big Ten Conference. And I really truly believe that because the Iona Prep offense is, for a high school offense, not the easiest offense to run and command for young men,” Simms said.

“They just had the fortunate advantage of having a gentleman like Darius Wilson before him who was extremely talented and is at the FCS level, playing and performing extremely well.

“And then having Ajani who is extremely talented. And he’s someone that was relied upon as a runner a little bit more in high school because it’s easy to do that sometimes when you’re 6-foot-2, 235 pounds and run a 4.5 but he is definitely going to show some people that he has more than enough talent, to be a great passer in the Big Ten. And to be a great leader on that football team too just by the way that he carries himself.”

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Former top 20 New Jersey recruit, Tahj Bullock, is in the transfer portal

Tahj Bullock has entered the transfer portal.

Virginia Tech quarterback Tahj Bullock entered the transfer portal on Monday, putting the former New Jersey prep standout back on the open market.

A class of 2021 quarterback out of St. Peter’s Prep (Jersey City, N.J.), Bullock was a consensus three-star recruit and a top 20 player in the state. He was offered by Rutgers football out of St. Peter’s Prep.

Portal played in one game last season for Virginia Tech, maintaining his redshirt status. He completed two of four passes for 27 yards, being sacked once in a bowl game loss to Maryland.

Could Bullock be swayed to come home and play for Rutgers? Well, there could be a need on the Rutgers roster to add depth at quarterback.

But Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano and company were adamant in pursuing Gavin Wimsatt, a four-star quarterback who re-classified and enrolled early as a member of the 2021 recruiting class.

This doesn’t seem to be a situation where Rutgers is looking to add a quarterback to the roster.

Plus, the early returns on Ajani Sheppard are promising. A former three-star quarterback from Iona Prep (New Rochelle, N.Y.), Sheppard earned some praise last week from head coach Greg Schiano for his performances this spring.

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Sheppard enrolled at Rutgers in January and is one of three scholarship quarterbacks on the roster.

“He’s really improving – by leaps and bounds,” Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano told reporters on Saturday.

“It’s good to see. You’re a young freshman quarterback out of high school, there’s so much to learn. So when I talk about it, the game goes a little faster, and I’m sure it’s going fast for him. But you can see where he gets it and when it all slows down, he’s going to really be a good player.”

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In his first spring with Rutgers football, Ajani Sheppard is flashing his potential

Greg Schiano praises the growth of Ajani Sheppard this spring.

Ajani Sheppard is showing this spring the signs of being a Power Five quarterback for Rutgers football. A player with enormous potential, Sheppard is going through the transition from high school to the Big Ten.

Sheppard comes to Rutgers off a strong senior season at Iona Prep (New Rochelle, N.Y.) where he showed significant polish to his game. Sheppard is capable of throwing a nice deep ball but also has the ability to make a number of short to intermediate throws as well.

He has good velocity and placement. His footwork has improved tremendously over the past year.

An early enrollee, Sheppard’s growth and development has been on display this spring.

“He’s really improving – by leaps and bounds,” Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano told reporters on Saturday.

“It’s good to see. You’re a young freshman quarterback out of high school, there’s so much to learn. So when I talk about it, the game goes a little faster, and I’m sure it’s going fast for him. But you can see where he gets it and when it all slows down, he’s going to really be a good player.”

Iona Prep went 9-3 last season under Sheppard. As a senior, he threw for 2,393 yards with 21 touchdowns and six interceptions. He also ran the ball 142 times for 1,291 yards with 11 touchdowns.

Recently, Matt Simms spoke to Rutgers Wire about Sheppard. Over the past three years, Simms has coached and mentored Sheppard.

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A former NFL quarterback, Simms believes that Sheppard to develop into a starting caliber Big Ten quarterback.

“He’s a guy that with a little bit more experience, he’s going to be, I think, someone that can be a very dynamic football player in the Big Ten Conference. And I really truly believe that because the Iona Prep offense is, for a high school offense, not the easiest offense to run and command for young men,” Simms said in his interview with Rutgers Wire.

“They just had the fortunate advantage of having a gentleman like Darius Wilson before him who was extremely talented and is at the FCS level, playing and performing extremely well.

“And then having Ajani who is extremely talented. And he’s someone that was relied upon as a runner a little bit more in high school because it’s easy to do that sometimes when you’re 6-foot-2, 235 pounds and run a 4.5 but he is definitely going to show some people that he has more than enough talent, to be a great passer in the Big Ten. And to be a great leader on that football team too just by the way that he carries himself.”

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Former NFL quarterback Matt Simms on Ajani Sheppard: He is going to ‘be a very dynamic football player in the Big Ten Conference

Former NFL quarterback Matt Simms speaks about training Rutgers football quarterback Ajani Sheppard.

Former NFL quarterback Matt Simms has been training Ajani Sheppard for nearly three years, giving him a chance to watch up close the development and growth of the Rutgers football quarterback.

Sheppard, who committed to Rutgers football last fall, is currently enrolled for spring practice with the Big Ten program.

Now a quarterback trainer, Simms got connected with Sheppard via Darius Wilson. Currently at William & Mary, Wilson was the starting quarterback at Iona Prep prior to Sheppard. Wilson approached Simms about bringing Sheppard, saying “He’s got a lot of potential but he has no idea what he is doing.”

After a training session, Simms was impressed and excited to work with Sheppard.

“Really the entire process of his development has been pretty awesome to see through the years. You could say that Ajani, when I first met him, was one of those guys that was extremely raw, and just an unfiltered talent, where you can see he was a great athlete,” Simms told Rutgers Wire.

“He moved well, he had a flexible arm. And you could see that he was someone that was going to progressively grow into a D1 caliber type of body, right? And that’s because you meet his father and you know that his brother played at Ole Miss – he had a lot of that untapped potential to him if he dedicated his life to it.

“And he has and it’s been really cool to see that acceleration each and every year of his growth at the position. And as cliche as it sounds, he is one of those dudes that just has got a smile on his face. He’s charismatic, he’s never too low. And he just is a constant pro at just improving incrementally over time. And those are the players that at the end of the day usually shine brightest on game day.”

Last fall, Shappard was committed to Old Dominion before de-committing and flipping to Rutgers. He also had offers from Air Force, Army and UConn as well as several MAC programs.

As a senior, Sheppard was impressive, throwing for 2,393 yards with 21 touchdowns and six interceptions.

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Simms, who played seven seasons in the NFL and is best known for his time with the New York Jets, believes that Sheppard can and will continue his development this spring at Rutgers.

“He’s a guy that with a little bit more experience, he’s going to be, I think, someone that can be a very dynamic football player in the Big Ten Conference. And I really truly believe that because the Iona Prep offense is, for a high school offense, not the easiest offense to run and command for young men,” Simms said.

“They just had the fortunate advantage of having a gentleman like Darius Wilson before him who was extremely talented and is at the FCS level, playing and performing extremely well.

“And then having Ajani who is extremely talented. And he’s someone that was relied upon as a runner a little bit more in high school because it’s easy to do that sometimes when you’re 6-foot-2, 235 pounds and run a 4.5 but he is definitely going to show some people that he has more than enough talent, to be a great passer in the Big Ten. And to be a great leader on that football team too just by the way that he carries himself.”

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Paramus Catholic has a new athletic director, in legendary media personality Jimmy Cavallo

Jimmy Cavallo is the new athletic director at Paramus Catholic.

Jimmy Cavallo, a media personality and a highly-respected journalist, was named on Wednesday as the athletic director at Paramus Catholic. It is a big move both for Cavallo and a school known for its strong athletic programs.

Last fall, Cavallo was the play-by-play announcer for MSG Network’s high school football coverage. He is a veteran reporter, journalist and media personality who is a household name among prep sports fans throughout New Jersey and New York.

The top priority for Cavallo will inevitably be resurrecting the northern New Jersey parochial’s football program. Last season, the Paladins went 2-7 under head coach Greg Russo. In their three prior seasons, Paramus Catholic went a combined 4-22.

Notable players who have come through the once powerhouse football program includes the likes of Jabrill Peppers and Rashan Gary.

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Cavallo brings a deep Rolodex of contacts and a certain savvy to the role as athletic director.

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On MSG Network, Cavallo was the play-by-play announcer. He partnered with Matt Simms, a former NFL quarterback who played collegiately at Tennessee. Simms is now a quarterback trainer based out of the New York City area. He has worked with notable recent recruits such as Henry Belin (a Duke commit) and [autotag]Ajani Sheppard[/autotag], who committed to Rutgers football as part of the 2023 recruiting class.

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Big Ten rival offers New York offensive lineman Rowan Byrne

Rowan Byrne is offered by a Big Ten rival.

This weekend saw another offer for Rowan Byrne as the New York offensive lineman continues to see his recruitment grow.

Byrne, a member of the 2025 recruiting class, was offered by Maryland this weekend. At 6-foot-6 and 285 pounds, he is an offensive tackle at Iona Prep (New Rochelle, N.Y.) and ranked the No. 23 offensive tackle in the nation according to Rivals.

He now holds offers from programs including Boston College, UConn, Minnesota, Pittsburgh, Rutgers and Syracuse in addition to his most recent offer from Maryland. He plans on visiting Pittsburgh and Syracuse in April.

Byrne is also planning on visiting Rutgers this spring. He spoke with Rutgers Wire last week about the Scarlet Knights.

[autotag]Ajani Sheppard[/autotag], quarterback at Iona Prep last year, enrolled at Rutgers in January.

“My recruitment with Rutgers is going great, always treated like family when I’m over there,” Byrne said.

“When Ajani was on spring break last week and I saw him he only had great things to say about Rutgers, the culture, and the coaching staff.”

He is also planning a visit to Minnesota in mid-April.

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Two programs, he said, are currently recruiting him the hardest.

“I’d have to say it’s between Pitt and Rutgers recruiting me the hardest,” Byrne said.

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Three-star Rowan Byrne is hearing about Rutgers football from former teammate Ajani Sheppard

Rowan Byrne is listening to what Ajani Sheppard is saying about Rutgers football.

Rowan Byrne maintains a high level of interest in Rutgers football, boosted by the fact that one of his former teammates is now in the program.

A class of 2025 recruit, Byrne is a 6-foot-6, 285-pound offensive lineman at Iona Prep (New Rochelle, N.Y.). He was part of an offensive line that protected Ajani Sheppard, who committed to Rutgers in November.

In his class, he is ranked the No. 23 offensive tackle in the nation according to Rivals.

Rutgers offered Byrne last summer during a camp. Sheppard, who enrolled at Rutgers in January, has been talking with Byrne about his experience in the Big Ten.

“Ajani told me that the coaching staff really does treat you like family when you get there, as long as you work hard,” Byrne told Rutgers Wire.

“So the coaches treat you with respect and like family as long as you work hard, which is definitely a fair trade to me. I want to go to a program where hard work is the expectation, the standard.”

Recruiting remains a work in process for Byrne, who just announced a visit to Minnesota this week. He was recently offered by the Golden Gophers.

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He holds offers including from Boston College, UConn, Minnesota, Pittsburgh, Rutgers and Syracuse.

As for Rutgers, they remain the closest program to Byrne and he plans to visit in the spring.

“I’m definitely interested in the program, and yeah it’s practically down the road from me about 45 minutes from my house depending on the George Washington Bridge traffic of course,” Byrne said.

“I’m really not even close to knowing where I want to go – I do like Rutgers a lot right now, and it definitely is somewhere I’m interested in playing at, and it’s a part of the Big Ten so that’s a big plus.”

Rowan Byrne talks Rutgers football, recent Pitt visit and busy spring

Rowan Byrne talks Rutgers football in his recruitment.

Rowan Byrne is one of the top offensive line prospects in the region. His recruitment continues to grow, with another Power Five offer coming in this month for the New York recruit.

A 6-foot-6, 285-pound offensive lineman, Byrne was offered last summer following a Rutgers football camp. He is a class of 2025 recruit who played last season for Iona Prep (New Rochelle, N.Y.). He was part of an offensive line that protected [autotag]Ajani Sheppard[/autotag], who committed to Rutgers in November.

Byrne currently has an offer list that includes Boston College, UConn, Minnesota, Pittsburgh, Rutgers and Syracuse.

This week, Byrne provided an update on his recruitment. He talked about his recent visit to Pittsburgh, his upcoming recruiting visits and his relationship with new Rutgers offensive line coach Pat Flaherty.

Scroll down and check out what Byrne had to say!

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Watch: Rutgers football quarterback Ajani Sheppard is putting in work this offseason

Rutgers football quarterback Ajani Sheppard is impressing this offseason in individual workouts.

Rutgers football quarterback Ajani Sheppard is putting in some work this offseason.

Former NFL quarterback Matt Simms posted a video on Saturday of Sheppard working out. Part of the 2023 recruiting class, Sheppard was a late offer and commitment to the Scarlet Knights.

Sheppard is the only scholarship quarterback in the last two recruiting classes for Rutgers football. He was a late addition to the class, de-committing from Old Dominion in late November and giving his verbal to Rutgers shortly thereafter.

He signed with the Scarlet Knights in December. The talented quarterback from Iona Prep (New Rochelle, N.Y.) enrolled at Rutgers in January.

“Relentless. In season or offseason Ajani is the epitome of a Greg Schiano Rutgers man,” Simms told Rutgers Wire.

“Coachable and charismatic, Ajani is always looking for constructive criticism to improve and learn.”

At 6-foot-2 and 230 pounds, Sheppard was ranked a three-star by 247Sports and the No. 9 prospect in New York in the 2023 class.

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Here is Sheppard making a throw over the weekend.

 

In 2022 as a senior at Iona Prep, he threw for 2,393 yards with 21 touchdowns and six interceptions.

Simms spent six seasons in the NFL and is primarily best known for his three seasons with the New York Jets as well as his time with the Buffalo Bills. He played his college football at Tennessee.

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