# Russell Shepard

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> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russell_Shepard
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{{Short description|American football player (born 1990)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name          = Russell Shepard
| image         =
| caption       = 
| current_team  = 
| number        = 89, 19, 81
| position      = [Special teamer](/source/Special_teamer) <br />[Wide receiver](/source/Wide_receiver)
| birth_date    = {{birth date and age|1990|9|17}}
| birth_place   = [Houston, Texas](/source/Houston%2C_Texas), U.S.
| height_ft     = 6
| height_in     = 1
| weight_lbs    = 195
| highlights    = 
| high_school   = [Cypress Ridge](/source/Cypress_Ridge_High_School) (Houston)
| college       = [LSU](/source/LSU_Tigers_football)
| undraftedyear = 2013
| pastteams     =
* [Philadelphia Eagles](/source/Philadelphia_Eagles) ({{NFL Year|2013}})*
* [Tampa Bay Buccaneers](/source/Tampa_Bay_Buccaneers) ({{NFL Year|2013}}–{{NFL Year|2016}})
* [Carolina Panthers](/source/Carolina_Panthers) ({{NFL Year|2017}}) 
* [New York Giants](/source/New_York_Giants) ({{NFL Year|2018}}–{{NFL Year|2019}})
| status        = 
| statlabel1    = [Receptions](/source/Reception_(American_football))
| statvalue1    = 60
| statlabel2    = [Receiving yards](/source/Receiving_yards)
| statvalue2    = 847
| statlabel3    = [Receiving touchdowns](/source/Touchdown)
| statvalue3    = 6
| statlabel4    = [Total tackles](/source/Tackle_(football_move))
| statvalue4    = 45
| statlabel5    = [Forced fumbles](/source/Fumble)
| statvalue5    = 1
| pfr           = ShepRu00 
}}

'''Russell Shepard''' (born September 17, 1990) is an American former professional [football](/source/American_football) player who was a [wide receiver](/source/wide_receiver) and [special teamer](/source/special_teamer) in the [National Football League](/source/National_Football_League) (NFL). He played [college football](/source/college_football) for the [LSU Tigers](/source/LSU_Tigers_football) and was signed as an [undrafted free agent](/source/undrafted_free_agent) by the [Philadelphia Eagles](/source/Philadelphia_Eagles). Shepard has also played for the [Tampa Bay Buccaneers](/source/Tampa_Bay_Buccaneers), [Carolina Panthers](/source/Carolina_Panthers), and [New York Giants](/source/New_York_Giants).

==Early life==
Shepard attended [Cypress Ridge High School](/source/Cypress_Ridge_High_School) in [Harris County, Texas](/source/Harris_County%2C_Texas). He started his [high school](/source/high_school_football) career as a quarterback.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Shepard out to prove he belongs at quarterback |url=https://www.espn.com/college-sports/recruiting/football/news/story?id=3415768}}</ref>

Although Shepard was heavily recruited by [Texas](/source/University_of_Texas) and received interests from [Florida](/source/University_of_Florida), [Michigan](/source/University_of_Michigan), and [USC](/source/University_of_Southern_California),<ref>{{Cite news |title=2009's TERRELLE PRYOR?: Dual-threat QB Russell Shepard has U-M at the top of his list |url=http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080211/SPORTS06/80210062/1057}}</ref>  he announced his decision to accept a scholarship from [Louisiana State University](/source/Louisiana_State_University) on March 3, 2008.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Williams |first=Brandon C. |date=March 4, 2008 |title=Cy Ridge's Shepard says he's going to LSU |work=[Houston Chronicle](/source/Houston_Chronicle) |url=http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/hso/5589791.html}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=January 1, 2009 |title=LSU lands top prospect, recruiter -- all in one |work=CNN |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/andy_staples/01/01/russell-shepard/?eref=sircrc |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090122005717/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/andy_staples/01/01/russell-shepard/?eref=sircrc |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 22, 2009 |access-date=May 23, 2010}}</ref> He committed to LSU because he believed he would get the best chance at playing quarterback there.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Shepard stays grounded through recruiting process |url=https://www.espn.com/college-sports/recruiting/football/news/story?id=3801257}}</ref> Texas told Shepard that if he didn't win the starting job at quarterback, then he could play other positions. USC likewise found him to be a [Reggie Bush](/source/Reggie_Bush)-type player in their offense.<ref name="12chron">{{Cite news |title=LSU already giddy about Shepard era |url=http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/6163832.html}}</ref>

He graduated high school in December 2008 to start his college career a semester early. Shepard stated that he intended to learn the team's football system during LSU's spring practices that year.<ref name=12chron/>

He played in the 2009 [Under Armour All-America Game](/source/Under_Armour_All-America_Game) on January 4, 2009.<ref>{{Cite news |title=2009 Under Armour All-America Game Player Profiles |url=https://www.espn.com/college-sports/recruiting/football/news/story?id=3315757}}</ref>
As of March 2009, he was ranked as the #3 Athlete on ESPN150 for the high school class of 2009.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://insider.espn.go.com/ncf/recruiting/tracker/espnu150?&season=2009&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fncf%2frecruiting%2ftracker%2fespnu150%3f%26season%3d2009 |title= ESPN Football Recruiting - Rankings - ESPN|website=[ESPN](/source/ESPN) |access-date=March 18, 2009}}{{title missing|date=May 2022}}</ref>

As a senior, the 6-1, 179-pound Shepard rushed for 1,946 yards and 28 touchdowns and threw for 1,843 yards and 20 touchdowns for legendary coach Gary Thiebaud. Shepard also led Cy-Ridge to a 17-5A district championship in 2007. Alongside [Matt Barkley](/source/Matt_Barkley), Shepard was considered the top [quarterback](/source/quarterback) of the high school class of 2009 by both ''[Rivals.com](/source/Rivals.com)''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Russell Shepard |url=http://rivals100.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?pr_key=59099}}</ref> and ''[Scout.com](/source/Scout.com)''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Russell Shepard - Scout.com |url=http://recruiting.scout.com/a.z?s=73&p=8&c=1&nid=3002233}}</ref> before converting to wide receiver upon arriving at LSU.

He was compared to Florida wide receiver [Percy Harvin](/source/Percy_Harvin) by a Scouts, Inc. reporter.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Dual-threat QBs Pryor, Shepard have similar skills |url=https://www.espn.com/college-sports/recruiting/football/columns/story?columnist=luginbill_tom&id=3801773}}</ref>

===Awards and honors===
*Selected to the 2008 All-Greater Houston Team by the Touchdown Club of Houston.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Matthews honored by TD Club tonight |url=http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/fb/texansfront/5940281.html}}</ref>
*Won the 2008 Offensive Player of the Year award given by the Touchdown Club of Houston.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Shepard, Stewart win TD Club honors |url=http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/hotstories/6158528.html}}</ref>
*First-team selection on [Dave Campbell’s Texas Football](/source/Dave_Campbell's_Texas_Football) Super Team<ref name=FWST/>
*2009 [''PARADE''](/source/Parade_(magazine)) All-American<ref>{{Cite news |title=Meet PARADE's All-America High School Football Team |url=http://www.parade.com/news/2009/01/parade-all-america-high-school-football-team.html}}</ref>

==College career==
Shepard played [college football](/source/college_football) for the [LSU Tigers](/source/LSU_Tigers_football). He saw time at [running back](/source/running_back) and receiver early in his freshman year, particularly the former due to depth concerns at the positions, before permanently switching to receiver. He ended his LSU career with 52 receptions and 572 rushing yards.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Laney |first=Gary |date=August 5, 2012 |title=One final chance |url=https://www.espn.com/colleges/lsu/story/_/id/8236035/lsu-wide-receiver-russell-shepard-one-lost-chance-meet-potential |access-date=January 3, 2020 |website=[ESPN.com](/source/ESPN.com)}}</ref>

==Professional career==

===Philadelphia Eagles===
Shepard was signed as an undrafted free agent following the 2013 NFL draft.

===Tampa Bay Buccaneers===
One day after being released by the [Philadelphia Eagles](/source/Philadelphia_Eagles), Shepard was claimed off waivers by the [Tampa Bay Buccaneers](/source/Tampa_Bay_Buccaneers) on September 1, 2013.<ref name="x747">{{cite web | last=Philipse | first=Sander | title=Bucs claim DT Chris Jones, add WR Russell Shepard | website=Bucs Nation | date=2013-09-01 | url=https://www.bucsnation.com/2013/9/1/4683216/buccaneers-claim-chris-jones-russell-shepard-practice-squad-danny-noble | access-date=2024-11-29}}</ref>

After leading the team in special teams tackles in 2014, Shepard was named special teams captain for the 2015 season,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Buccaneers Name Six Team Captains |url=http://www.buccaneers.com/news/article-smith/Buccaneers-Name-Six-Team-Captains/7589618d-8130-4c96-9826-6a6d7300369d}}</ref> a role he would reprise in the 2016 season.

===Carolina Panthers===
On March 10, 2017, Shepard signed a three-year contract with the [Carolina Panthers](/source/Carolina_Panthers).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Henson, Max |date=March 10, 2017 |title=Panthers sign Russell Shepard |url=http://www.panthers.com/news/article-2/Panthers-sign-Russell-Shepard/53608ae4-a7bb-432a-bf66-e05795b41625 |website=Panthers.com}}</ref> On September 10, 2017, against the [San Francisco 49ers](/source/2017_San_Francisco_49ers_season) in Week 1, he had two receptions for 53 yards, which included a 40-yard touchdown reception from quarterback [Cam Newton](/source/Cam_Newton). He finished the season with 17 receptions for 202 yards and one touchdown.

On May 14, 2018, Shepard was released by the Panthers.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Strickland, Bryan |date=May 14, 2018 |title=Panthers release Russell Shepard |url=http://www.panthers.com/news/article-2/Panthers-release-Russell-Shepard/5aac7d83-4dae-42a5-9b59-c41328f33e48 |website=Panthers.com}}</ref>

===New York Giants===
On May 22, 2018, Shepard signed with the [New York Giants](/source/New_York_Giants) on a one-year, $1.3 million deal worth up to $2 million in incentives.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Eisen, Michael |date=May 22, 2018 |title=Giants sign wide receiver Russell Shepard |url=https://www.giants.com/news/giants-sign-wide-receiver-russell-shepard |website=Giants.com}}</ref>
In Week 13 against the [Chicago Bears](/source/2018_Chicago_Bears_season), Shepard had 2 catches for 59 yards and a touchdown. The touchdown reception came from fellow wide receiver and fellow former LSU player [Odell Beckham Jr.](/source/Odell_Beckham_Jr.)

On April 10, 2019, Shepard re-signed with the Giants.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bouda, Nate |date=April 10, 2019 |title=Giants Re-Sign WR Russell Shepard |url=https://nfltraderumors.co/giants-re-sign-wr-russell-shepard/}}</ref> He was placed on injured reserve on September 26, with a foot sprain.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Valentine |first=Ed |date=September 26, 2019 |title=Giants roster moves: RB Jon Hilliman promoted, WR Russell Shepard to IR |url=https://www.bigblueview.com/2019/9/26/20886114/giants-roster-moves-rb-jon-hilliman-promoted-wr-russell-shepard-to-ir |access-date=2025-03-29 |website=Big Blue View |publisher=SB Nation}}</ref>

On September 17, 2020, Shepard announced his retirement from the NFL.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gantt, Darin |date=September 17, 2020 |title=Former wideout Russell Shepard announces retirement |url=https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2020/09/17/former-wideout-russell-shepard-announces-retirement/ |website=Pro Football Talk |publisher=NBC Sports}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Shepard's mother is a medical recruiter for a local hospital, and his father runs his own construction business.<ref name="FWST">{{Cite news |title=Getting to know the Elite 11, the state of Texas' top recruits |url=http://www.star-telegram.com/highschools/story/1066436.html}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
*[http://www.lsusports.net/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=27812&SPID=2164&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=5200&ATCLID=3660167&Q_SEASON=2010 Louisiana State Tigers bio]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shepard, Russell}}
Category:1990 births
Category:Living people
Category:Players of American football from Houston
Category:Under Armour All-American football players
Category:American football wide receivers
Category:American football quarterbacks
Category:LSU Tigers football players
Category:Philadelphia Eagles players
Category:Tampa Bay Buccaneers players
Category:Carolina Panthers players
Category:New York Giants players

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Russell Shepard](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russell_Shepard) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russell_Shepard?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.