I never wrote Shep off...sure he isn't the prototypical WR but He can make things happen in the open field. Miles' staff will get Mett to get him the ball there. Shep suffered from the QBs of the past. Just Look how Randle suffered from Lee/Jefferson. He had the physical attributed Shep didn't have and he was about half as productive as he could have been had he gone to Baylor.
Asignupe99 may have had an idea I didn't think of...cornerback. I assume there is a reason he was never tried there...probably would have taken an insult by Shepard after already giving up on QB. But I have seen nothing so far that makes me think he can make it at WR. Remember the 1st Alabama game and the busted coverage when Shepard caught the ball and fell on his butt at the Alabama 8. That is the only play that LSU SHOULD have scored on. What happened IMO was that Shepard was so concerned about catching the ball that he cradled it in (poor technique but a lot of WR do it and catch with their body). If he catches the ball with his hands, no way does he lose his balance and he walks into the end zone. He was not tackled on the play...he simply fell on his rear end. This guy had been at WR for 2 years and been at LSU for 3. C'mon, that simply can NOT happen! You catch the ball with your hands and you score a TD for LSU! LSU instead obviously got only a FG since they scored no TDs against Alabama last season. There are probably 200 guys in the NCAA with Shepard's speed, NOT a lot really since there are thousands of guys playing skill positions in college football. But what else does he bring to the table? Nothing that I have ever been able to see...a 1 dimensional player. I haven't even seen him do any great cutbacks like Odell Beckham does quite a bit. Right now, I say Shepard doesn't get drafted (that was my opinion when I heard he might declare for the draft after 2011..."WHAT!!!") But he has a year to improve and he needs to catch better, run routes that are not rounded off (BTW, that is why more passes hit short in front of him than most WRs...some of that of course was due to LSU QB play, but the guy runs ragged routes and rounds them off), block better, and try to fight for extra yardage without losing the ball (he has improved his ball security IMO).
I couldn't believe he was declaring for early entry to the NFL draft also. By the way, you, signupe and I ought to be having this discussion over beers at the Abita Brew Pub.
LOL, I hope to be back down that way in a few months for a groundbreaking for St. Andrew's Village. If everything goes okay on our end we'll be obligating in the next couple of months.
Greg Bryant just decommitted from OU. He is one of the very best RBs out of HS next year by all the services (out of FL BTW). LSU offered and doesn't seem to be high on his list but who knows. RB isn't an immediate need for LSU right now but I was always in favor of signing 1 RB (Taylor the most likely) since LSU only signed 1 last year in Jeremy Hill. Also, Rivals is reporting that Justin Manning is still considering LSU, supposedly before an OU lock. Don't know what has happened at Oklahoma (other than disappointing seasons of late I guess) but it seems to have all started with that loss to Boise State a few years ago in the bowl game. The bottom line is this is the worst recruiting I have ever seen Oklahoma do...IF the services are correct and they are pretty much agree, OU's class has more 3* than 4* and no marque player since Bryant decommitted. Don't know if LSU could benefit from Bryant dropping his verbal but if Manning is still considering LSU, I surely would not object to the last four commits being Manning, Gilmore, Williams or Beckwith, and Willis. Yep, I could definitely live with that.
Manning is doubtful. He has family ties to OU and once Jackie gets his hooks in a kid, it's tough to shake them out.
Agreed on doubtful but who knows. I ONLY mentioned it for a couple of reasons. 1) When is the last time you remember OU losing a verbal the caliber of Bryant who is on everybody's top 30 list? 2) Also, look at OU's verbal list...I will concede that the services aren't perfect but so far their recruiting SUCKS! Something has gone wrong in Norman...either too many tornadoes, too many bad losses like losing to Texas Tech, losing to Baylor. This is not an OU team that remotely plays like the good ones of the past. And need I mention the absolute annihilation of the Okie State game. Wait, Okie State just scored again. What in the world has happened to OU's defense...they look like Arkansas!!
Here is why LSU's DL recruiting last year wasn't quite as light as it looked. My guess is this guy will be a monster...Danielle Hunter (if you ever meet him, probably wise to pronounce his first name right which is Da-Neil). Perhaps a good caption for the following picture is "Hulk want QB!" Jesus!
I got to see Hunter play last year. I also got to talk with one of the coaches in his district. LSU got a good one. Also FYI. Adam Taylor the RB from Katy last weekend finished with 190 yds on 25 carries with 3 TD's. His Katy team beat Langham Creek 49-0.
