Packers Sign One of Deion Sanders’ Receivers Before Training Camp

With Green Bay Packers training camp starting in just a couple days, the Packers signed former Vanderbilt and Colorado receiver Will Sheppard.

Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver Will Sheppard (14) pulls in a touchdown over Utah cornerback Cameron Calhoun. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Roster-building is a 365-day process. One day before the full roster reports for training camp, the Green Bay Packers signed rookie receiver Will Sheppard.

The Packers released two of their young veterans on the defensive line a few days ago so a corresponding roster move was not necessary.

Sheppard had a solid collegiate career. After four seasons at Vanderbilt in which he had seasons of 43, 47 and 60 receptions, he transferred to Deion Sanders-coached Colorado for his final season. Playing alongside Travis Hunter and with quarterback Shedeur Sanders, he caught 48 passes for 621 yards (12.9 average) and six touchdowns). Along with two receptions as a freshman in 2020, his five-year totals were 200 receptions for 2,688 yards and 27 touchdowns.

Sheppard had drop percentages of just 4.1 percent in 2024 and 4.8 percent in 2022 but 16.1 percent in 2023 and 10.4 percent in 2022. He used his size to catch 11-of-21 in contested-catch situations last season. He also forced 13 missed tackles – his third season with more than 12.

“His ball skills are much better down the field than underneath and he toggles between a spectacular catch and a frustrating lack of catch finishing,” NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein wrote in his scouting report.

Sheppard has some enticing measurables. Before going undrafted, he measured 6-foot-2 3/4. While he ran his 40 in only 4.59 seconds, he aced the jumps with a 40 1/2-inch vertical and 10-foot, 6-inch broad jump. His Relative Athletic Score was 8.72.

Sheppard went undrafted and was supposed to sign with the Buccaneers but failed his physical. He was quickly cleared by other teams; Green Bay was among the teams interested.

At Colorado’s pro day, Deion Sanders spoke highly of Sheppard’s NFL potential.

“This kid can play this game,” Sanders said. “I talked to a lot of the scouts earlier about how fond I am of his game and his consistency thereof. He’s a big-time receiver. A 50-50 ball, he’s going to get that more times than not. And I just love his character and what he brings to the table, what he brings to the practice field, day in and day out. He’s a tremendous asset.”

During his senior season at Madeville High School, the native of Madisonville, La., caught 62 passes for 1,276 yards and 24 touchdowns. He also averaged 20 points per game in basketball.

“Will is one of the most physically gifted wide receivers I’ve ever coached,” Devin Gonzales, an assistant coach for the Seattle Seahawks, said while at Vanderbilt. “I tell people all the time he was the most-dominant person at that position that I had ever seen in high school. He could do things body-control wise and his ball skills that were just off the charts. His hands are enormous, he has extremely long limbs and he’s exceptionally strong for a person of his stature.”

His father, Willie Sheppard, played cornerback and running back at Louisiana Tech and his mom, Rebekah, played volleyball at Tech.

“I started playing around 8 or 9,” Sheppard told The Vanderbilt Hustler. “After my first year playing left tackle and defensive end, it just started to take off, and I started to fall in love with it.”

With the Packers, Sheppard is a late addition to their crowded receiver room. The Packers return their top six receivers from last season, signed Mecole Hardman and drafted Matthew Golden and Savion Williams to headline a group of 13 receivers. That won’t be an unfamiliar feeling. At Colorado, he played with Hunter, Jimmy Horn Jr. and LaJohntay Wester.

“It was great. I enjoyed playing in such a deep receiver room,” he told The Draft Network. “It brought out the competitive nature in everybody. We all wanted the best for each other but, at the end of the day, we were in contention with one another, as well.

“The best thing about being in that deep Colorado receiver room was the opportunity to pick each other’s brains and learn from one another. We watched a bunch of film together and learned a lot of new skills.”

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