Sterling Shepard Makes NFL Preseason Debut
By Chip Rouse
Second-round pick Sterling Shepard made his NFL preseason debut over the weekend.
Shepard, the 40th overall pick by the New York Giants in last spring’s 2016 NFL Draft, is vying for one of the starting wide-receiver spots for the Giants and has impressed the New York coaches in offseason workouts and early in preseason training camp.
The second leading receiver all-time in Sooner football history, caught one pass for 24 yards in New York’s opening preseason game against the Miami Dolphins. That one reception, Shepard’s first NFL catch (although with a preseason asterisk), came early in the first quarter on a pass from Giants reserve quarterback Ryan Nassib, starting in place of Eli Manning.
Shepard made a diving catch of the pass from Nassib inside the the Dolphins’ 10-yard-line, on the Giants’ opening possession, to set up New York’s only touchdown drive of the game. The Dolphins went on to win the preseason exhibition game, however, by a score of 27-10.
The former Oklahoma standout left the preseason game with Miami early, however, with what was later described as a groin strain. Giants’ coaches do not believe the injury to be serious.
Shepard missed five games at the end of the 2014 season, his junior year at Oklahoma, after suffering a groin injury.
Shepard wasn’t the only former Sooner wide receiver on the field in Friday night’s NFL exhibition game between the Giants and Dolphins. Kenny Stills is a new member this season of the Dolphins. Stills also had just one catch in the game, a seven-yarder from Dolphin quarterback Ryan Tannehill, which came on Miami’s first possession. That was the only pass thrown Stills’ way in the game.
While on the subject of former Oklahoma Sooners, Damian Williams, how a running back for the Dolphins, carried the ball seven times for 13 yards in the preseason game with the Giants.