Tag: Russell Shepard

Ranking LSU’s top-five quarterback recruits since 2000

LSU hasn’t produced many elite quarterbacks over the years, but it has certainly recruited a handful.

LSU is one of the most talented programs in college football year in and year out. The Tigers have produced countless NFL stars at positions all over the field.

They have an especially impressive track record when it comes to receivers, running backs and defensive backs. However, one position that LSU is not nearly as well known for is the quarterback spot.

While [autotag]Joe Burrow[/autotag] looks to change that after taking the Cincinnati Bengals to the Super Bowl in his first fully healthy year as the starter, there hasn’t been a long list of notable players that were signal-callers for LSU.

With that being said, the Tigers have certainly recruited some talented quarterback prospects over the years. Here are the five best, according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings.

Top 20 offensive recruits for the LSU Tigers since 2000

A look at the top 20 offensive recruits for the LSU Tigers since 2000.

One of the biggest parts of the game of college football is recruiting. The LSU Tigers have recruited very well over the years which helps give them a competitive advantage. To compete with teams like the Alabama Crimson Tide and Georgia Bulldogs, recruiting is a huge must.

Offensively, LSU has seen plenty of top talents such as Russell Shepard, Leonard Fournette, La’el Collins, and others decide to play for the Tigers. They were rewarded with opportunities on the field and many of them ended up playing in the NFL. LSU has sent 20 players to the league in just the last two years.

LSU Tigers Wire breaks down the top 20 offensive recruits since 2000:

Best LSU football recruit from every state since the year 2000

LSU is in a football recruiting hotbed, but who are the top recruits from states out of Louisiana signed by LSU?

LSU is fortunate to be in a hotbed of football recruiting in the state of Louisiana. LSU has traditionally been able to keep much of the state’s top talent close to home, but sometimes the Tigers have to go on the prowl beyond the state’s borders if they want to build the best recruiting class possible.

With another recruiting cycle in the books, now is a good time to take a look at the LSU recruiting efforts since the turn of the century and see who the best LSU recruit in each state has been.

To put together this list, the 247 Sports composite rankings are referenced. In all, 20 states are included in LSU’s recruiting efforts since 2000. The most fertile grounds for LSU recruiting are close to home in Louisiana and Texas. Those two states have produced players like Derek Stingley, Grant Delpit,  Jarvis Landry, and Joseph Addai, just to name a few. LSU has also claimed some recruiting victories in Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi and brought a recruit home from California, Michigan, and Ohio.

For the purposes of this list, JUCO players are included, and they are specifically noted. Keep in mind JUCO recruiting rankings are not necessarily the same as the traditional recruiting class rankings.

Former LSU standout Russell Shepard retires from NFL after seven seasons

LSU’s Russell Shepard officially hung up his jersey after seven NFL seasons.

Russell Shepard is one of the highest-rated recruits to ever play at LSU. A member of the class of 2009, Shepard was the No. 3 overall player in the country and No. 1 dual-threat quarterback, per 247Sports.

After playing seven years in the NFL, Shepard announced his retirement on Thursday — his 30th birthday — via his Instagram account.

While Shepard didn’t quite have the career most envisioned in Baton Rouge, he did play in 49 games for the Tigers, making 14 starts. Shepard started his career at running back before making the permanent move to wide receiver in 2010.

Shepard caught 58 passes for 570 yards and scored five touchdowns in his college career. He also rushed for 716 yards with five additional scores.

Shepard went undrafted in the 2013 NFL draft but signed with the Philadelphia Eagles. After being cut just before his rookie season, Shepard signed a deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Shepard would spend four seasons in Tampa, one year with Carolina and his final two seasons with the New York Giants.

For his NFL career, Shepard caught 60 passes for 847 yards and six touchdowns. He made a name for himself as an outstanding performer on special teams throughout his time in the NFL.

He earned his degree from LSU in December of 2012. and recently opened a business in his hometown of Houston, Texas, under the name of “Shep Boys Waste Management.”

Former Giants WR Russell Shepard retires at age 30

Former New York Giants wide receiver Russell Shepard has officially announced his retirement at the age of 30.

Former New York Giants wide receiver Russell Shepard has decided to hang up the cleats, officially announcing his retirement from the NFL via Instagram on Thursday, which also happened to be the day he turned 30 years old.

Shepard spent time with four different teams during his NFL career, which is what many would consider a journeyman.

Shepard began his career as an undrafted free agent with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2013. His time in Philadelphia was short-lived however, but he went on to play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as well as the Carolina Panthers and eventually the Giants, where he would finish off his career.

During his time with the giants, Shepard played in 15 games between 2018 and 2019, hauling in 13 receptions for 213 yards and two touchdowns. He is one of the few players who has caught a touchdown from fellow former Giant and LSU player, Odell Beckham Jr.

Shepard ends with his career with 60 catches for 188 yards and six touchdowns.
In the Instagram post, Shepard posted a bunch of photos from his football career including four from his time with the Giants.

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Russell Shepard announces he will not return to Giants

Wide receiver Russell Shepard has announced that he will not return to the New York Giants in 2020.

It was just two short weeks ago that wide receiver Russell Shepard expressed his desire to retire as a member of the New York Giants and then work on becoming an NFL agent.

Unfortunately for Shepard, at least one of those things is not going to happen.

Shepard revealed on Instagram on Tuesday evening that his time with the Giants has officially come to an end and that he will now head into free agency looking for a new home.

Shepard is not only an extremely savvy and intelligent person, he’s a great teammate and locker room leader, and he’ll be missed by those he’s played alongside in East Rutherford.

After originally signing with the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent out of LSU in 2013, Shepard went on spend four years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and one year with the Carolina Panthers before joining the Giants in 2018.

In 87 career games (nine starts), Shepard has hauled in 60 receptions for 847 yards and six touchdowns. With the Giants, he appeared in 15 games, recording 13 receptions for 213 yards and two touchdowns.

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Russell Shepard wants to finish career with Giants, become an agent

Wide receiver Russell Shepard says he would like to finish his playing career with the New York Giants and then become an NFL agent.

New York Giants wide receiver Russell Shepard is only 29 years old, but he’s already busy preparing for life after football.

In Indianapolis this week at the 2020 NFL Combine, Shepard was working on his future, and the future of how agents handle the business.

From NJ Advance Media:

Shepard, who wants to be an agent when he retires from the NFL, was at the NFL Combine laying the groundwork for his second career. Over the past two off-seasons, Shepard interned with the league and spent two weeks before the Combine in Washington, D.C. learning how the salary cap works. It’s all part of a plan.

“I don’t want to be the agent of old times,” Shepard told NJ Advance Media. “I want to be a modern-day agent, and that’s a life coach, a mentor on and off the field, that’s a guy that can help you maximize your brand. I think I can help these guys step into that role. The NFL and NFLPA want more former players as agents, and I’m here learning everything I can.”

In order to be certified by the NFL, an agent must have a graduate or law degree or have played seven seasons. Shepard just completed his seventh NFL season.

Shepard began his playing career with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2013 as an undrafted free agent and then played four seasons in Tampa Bay before signing with the Carolina Panthers in 2017. In 2018, Shepard was inked to a one-year deal with the Giants. He was re-signed last year but placed on IR in late September with a foot sprain.

If his playing days are over, that would be fine with Shepard. He’s ready for the challenge of assisting fellow players with their careers, something he’s already been doing for years now. He plans on breaking new ground as an agent who can personally relate to the plight of players.

“Agents are typically the failing lawyer who doesn’t want to practice law anymore and sees another opportunity,” Shepard said. “You don’t even need to be a lawyer to be an agent, which I don’t think a lot of guys understand. I think the game needs more player-agents.”

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Russell Shepard wants to end his career with Giants

Pending free agent wide receiver Russell Shepard says he’d like to end his career with the New York Giants.

Wide receiver Russell Shepard saw his 2019 season officially come to an end on Wednesday when the New York Giants designated linebacker Kareem Martin to return for injured reserve.

Although he’s a bit sour over not getting the call, Shepard expressed an understanding for the decision due to the team’s need for edge rusher and, of course, Martin’s much more sizable salary.

“I can still make a presence and an impact on this team just with my personality,” Shepard told NJ Advance Media.

With his season now over and his contract expiring come January, Shepard is headed towards free agency but made it abundantly clear he not only wants to return to the Giants, but would ideally end his career in East Rutherford.

“I would love to be back here next season,” Shepard said. “For the rest of my career, if I can, I would love to finish up with the New York football Giants.”

Unlike many who view the Giants as an unmitigated disaster, Shepard believes he can see the forest through the trees and after being here at the bottom, wants to be with the team when they’re at the top.

“I was a part of Tampa and we were trending upwards,” Shepard said. “It’s something special about being part of something from the ground up.

“When you have your quarterback, when you have certain pieces in place, you can at last see a trend. We’re 2-9 right now. It can’t get much worse than that. But, we’re 2-9 with a young football team. As we mature, we’ll get better. I’d love to be here. Me and the GM have a personal relationship and I think it’s a good spot for me.”

In 15 career games with the Giants, Shepard has hauled in 13 receptions for 213 yards and two touchdowns.

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Giants designate Kareem Martin to return from IR

The New York Giants have designated linebacker Kareem Martin (knee) to return from injured reserve.

The New York Giants had a decision to make when it came to the second and final player to designate for return form injured reserve, and due to the release of Bennie Fowler and the concussion sustained by Golden Tate, many believed it would be wide receiver Russell Shepard.

It’s won’t be.

Shepard’s season is officially over as the Giants announced on Wednesday that linebacker Kareem Martin has been designated to return from injured reserve.

The Giants had placed Martin on injured reserve in September after suffering a knee injury in a season opening loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

A former third-round pick of the Arizona Cardinals, Martin signed with the Giants and reunited with defensive coordinator James Bettcher in 2018. And in his first season with Big Blue, Martin recorded 48 tackles, five stuffs and two passes defensed.

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