Is Sterling Shepard Getting The Recognition His Numbers Show He Very Much Deserves?
Posted on: October 28, 2014
Image via Sooner Sports
While everyone is raving about the seasons Alabama’s Amari Cooper and West Virginia’s Kevin White are having (and deservedly so, mind you), it would seem Oklahoma’s Sterling Shepard isn’t quite getting his just due from a national perspective. Bare in mind, this isn’t meant as a dig or slight to either Cooper or White. Both are incredibly talented receivers who, as I mentioned, are getting the much deserved recognition for the seasons each are respectively having. But rarely do you hear Shepard’s name mentioned, outside of Norman, amongst the best receivers in the game despite having the stats to match up with pretty much anyone in the country. In fact, why don’t we take a look at where all three of these guys currently stand.
A.Cooper – 8 games | 71 receptions | 1,132 yards | 9 TD | 8.9 rec/game | 141.5 yards/game
K.White – 8 games | 72 receptions | 1,047 yards | 8 TD | 9.0 rec/game | 130.9 yards/game
S.Shepard – 7 games | 49 receptions | 911 yards | 5 TD | 7.0 rec/game | 130.1 yards/game
Outside of touchdowns, Shepard is pretty much right there across the board AND, as I noted in bold for a specific reason, he’s done so both one less game and with significantly fewer receptions. Just think about that for a minute. He’s only 221 yards behind Cooper on 22 fewer receptions and even closer to White with just 136 less yards on 23 fewer receptions.
Shepard is currently averaging 18.59 yards per reception, so if you extrapolate that over a similar number of receptions to Cooper & White (let’s just round down and call it an even 71) that would put him at 1,320 yards and probably between 7-8 touchdowns.
Or if you want to take a simpler approach and just account for the difference in games played, you could take that same 18.59 yards per catch times his 7.0 receptions per game and add another 130 yards to his total. Which bring him to 1,041 receiving yards, virtually dead even with White, on just 56 receptions (or 16 fewer than the standout WVU receiver).
Oh, and Shepard also doesn’t have the physical advantages of being 6’3″ 210 lbs like White or 6’1″ 210 lbs like Cooper. Nor does he have a complimentary receiver opposite him like a Mario Alford to help draw coverage away from him (Cooper, however, is in a similar situation to that of Shepard but clearly not hurting as a result).
And all of this is without yet mentioning that Shepard is ahead of the pace Ryan Broyles set back in 2010 during his program record 1,622 yard receiving season. Thur seven games, Broyles had 810 yards while, as we know from above, Shepard currently stands at 911 (or 101 yards ahead of Broyles’ pace). It’s important to note that Broyles had the benefit of playing in 14 games during that 2010 season, which included a Big 12 Championship Game (though he put up a modest 3-for-61) and a BCS Bowl game (13-for-170 vs. Connecticut).
So if we’re being conservative and presuming the CFB Playoff is out of the picture, Shepard will (assuming health, /knocking furiously on wood) have a 12 game regular season and then a bowl game. Thus simple math will tell you he has six games remaining to play. Which means over these next six games, he would need to average 118.67 yards per game to get to the necessary 1,623 total receiving yards to eclipse the program record of arguably the best receiver to ever wear crimson and cream. Seems pretty doable considering he’s currently averaging just over 130 yards per game. Also worth noting based on his current averages Shepard would finish this season with 91 receptions, while Broyles needed 131 to put up his 1,622 yards.
The season Shepard is currently having may not be getting as much attention and/or praise nationally as some, but the numbers show he’s certainly deserving of it.
31 Comments
Couldn’t agree more!! Shep needs to be getting some national love!! Heck….he needs to be getting more local love than what he’s got. Nice work Jordan!!
thanks
Also keep in mind that we have faced the toughest part of our schedule as far as opponent defenses are concerned. While Bama and WVU still have some tough games ahead.
Was just saying this the other day! Good article. Just start winning and the recognition will come as the CFB playoff plays out over the coming weeks
Shepard is going to be an All American maybe 2nd or 3rd team this season. Hopefully for OU’s sake he comes back for 2015 and is a First Team AA. Unfortunately for him this league is loaded at the position considering Tyler Lockett and Antwaan Goodley are in the B12 too. A crowded position in the same league makes it hard for him to get any publicity…Oh and the 2 losses are hurting OU…Falling like a rock in the polls even when they didnt play. It all adds up to the lack of publicity for him. He deserves it but wont get any until OU plays the way we have seen for entire games not just a few series here and there
There’s a major problem, though. Shepard doesn’t play in the SEC, and especially not Bama. He could be 300 yards above Cooper and it would still be an uphill battle for the kid. What a shame.
With White getting the National Attention this article is saying Shepard deserves, kinda negates your post. Just saying.
If you really think White is getting anywhere near the attention as Cooper, you’re not actually reading anything else other than this article. Just saying.
I never said that he was. When they talk about the best WR’s in the country White is mentioned and that is what my point is. Amari is doing it without a good #2, as noted in the article above, and he is damn good.
Would love to see Shepard on one side next year, with DGB on the other. Put Quick in the slot, and OU would be back to placing the kind of WR talent on the field that we are used to.
But yes, Shepard has had an amazing season so far.
I feel like most of it comes down to team perception. Bama is about where they were expected to be, WVU is exceeding most people’s expectations, while Oklahoma has looked like an average team for several weeks. If OU were still playing like a top 5 team then I think things would be different for Sterling.
Chances Shephard leaves early for the NFL?
Slim to none IMO.
First, he isn’t really a prototypical NFL WR, which means he isn’t looking at a high draft grade. Second, with Stoops being like a father figure, and his legacy with OU and his dad and all that, I really think he’ll stick around for his senior season. Matter of fact, I’d be pretty darn shocked if he didn’t.
I only disagree with your point about his draft grade for those reasons i posted above.
Don’t think he will but I think he’s a potential late first round pick…depending on what other receivers end up in his draft class. Broyles was a mid-second round pick coming off a torn acl. Also broyles isn’t prototypical wr size with underrated athleticism. I think shepherd if he stays healthy will continue to show big time ability. And shepherd’s qb isn’t getting touted as a first round pick (whereas jones was considered a first round guy until his senior year)
“late first round pick”?…sorry, but Shepherd won’t get drafted in the first 3 rounds, let alone the 1st round.
Because you’re a pro scout??? I don’t know what games you’ve watched but those numbers tell a lot about the kind of season shepherd is having with what many consider to be a below average passer (if not a horrible passer). I alluded to what I’ve said a few times over the past few months…which is I believe shepherd is becoming a better receiver than broyles was, mainly because he has played so well on the outside.
What he is “doing” is only a small piece of the draft potential puzzle. You guys tear it up every year and not get drafted early. You see guys from small schools with mediocre stats get drafted early every year. Good college player doesn’t necessarily equal good NFL player.
You are right, some depends on who is available in the draft, but I’d be pretty surprised to see Shepard go earlier than the 3rd. Regardless of when he leaves.
You never really know what can happen in the draft. Guys fall for no apparent reason as guys rise for no reason. But I think when shep is done here we will say he’s the best receiver we’ve seen at ou during stoops era. Taking nothing away from Clayton and broyles.
Trolling, or just not sure about what he’s talking about regarding Sterling “Shepherd”?
Shepard* will go before halfway in the 2nd round, without a doubt.
I think Shep compares to Brandin Cooks and he went to in the late first round last year. It will come down to the combine and team needs, but if he test well I could see late first early second.
That’s a good comparison. I was thinking Antonio brown who was a late round pick but obviously would have been a first rounder had everyone thought he was capable of what he’s accomplished so far.
I like that comparison even better. Especially if he is as productive as Brown is.
I don’t know how close he is to finishing his degree but I think he promised his family he was staying until he graduated.
Nice read, I think we’ve all been wondering about this.
I agree, nice read and we all know what a talent he is BUT, if the TEAM isn’t receiving praise as a whole, he’ll be lost in the mix. Just like the Heisman, it no longer goes to the best player in the NCAA, it goes to the best player on the best team. Reality sucks.
Sort of puts things into perspective what a legitimate threat Kevin white was when we faced him. One more metric for all measurable focused folks… Kevin white is 6’3, Amari is 6’1. Shep is 5’10
OU’s success –or lack of– is far more important than any one player regardless of how well he is producing. Nobody is doubting Shepard is a fine player but I’d be far happier if OU was undefeated and Shepard hadn’t caught a pass all season. What RBear & IndySooner said in prior posts is so true. Shepard’s lack of ‘ deep speed’ and height will cause him to drop in whichever draft he is part of but doesn’t deter from the fact he is a fine player for OU and one of the few bright spots in an otherwise disappointing season.
“Knocking furiously on wood”
I giggled immaturely when I read that.
Shep is definitely deserving of as much recognition as any reciever in the country. He has consistently gotten open this season even when other teams knew that he was our only legitimate wide reciever threat…no disrespect intended to any of the other recievers on our team.
What more would you want?