Football: Five-star commitment persuades others to join Tigers
Shepard makes mark on and off field
Shea Dixon
Issue date: 4/29/08 Section: Sports
A recruit like Russell Shepard comes around once in a blue moon.
At 6 feet 2 inches, 185 pounds, the Houston native has all the intangibles of a dual-threat quarterback.
With his feet, Shepard can make up 40 yards of ground in 4.33 seconds.
With his arm, he hits his Cypress Ridge High School receivers in stride with passes ranging from 5-yard dump offs to 40-yard fades.
Playing high school football in Texas, the comparison's to former Longhorn Vince Young come daily.
"If you go back and look over the last five years, the only quarterback that even comes to close to comparing to what Russell Shepard does is [Virginia Tech quarterback] Tyrod Taylor," said Sonny Shipp of Scout.com. "You could use [Shepard] at quarterback, receiver or running back and he is going to be a playmaker. He is a touchdown waiting to happen when he has the ball in his hands."
But Shepard, the nation's No. 2 rated quarterback prospect according to Scout.com, has grown into something more than just a phenomenal football prospect.
Shepard, 18, has become not only the nation's most talented athlete, but possibly the NCAA's best recruiter.
"I know that all I can give right now is my verbal commitment," Shepard said. "But my word is my bond. When I say that I am going to do something, I am going to do it. That doesn't mean just play football. That means I am committed to other things, and recruiting is one of them."
With LSU storming out of the 2009 recruiting gates with 11 commitments, Shepard said he has continued to try and do his part to help the Tigers stay atop not only the Southeastern Conference but all of college football.
"I am trying to talk with everybody that LSU has on their board," Shepard said. "I am talking with [Rueben] Randle, [Chris] Davenport, [Craig] Loston, [Jamarkus] McFarland and a ton of other guys. I want the best class in the nation. I want this class to be better than LSU's in 2003."
At 6 feet 2 inches, 185 pounds, the Houston native has all the intangibles of a dual-threat quarterback.
With his feet, Shepard can make up 40 yards of ground in 4.33 seconds.
With his arm, he hits his Cypress Ridge High School receivers in stride with passes ranging from 5-yard dump offs to 40-yard fades.
Playing high school football in Texas, the comparison's to former Longhorn Vince Young come daily.
"If you go back and look over the last five years, the only quarterback that even comes to close to comparing to what Russell Shepard does is [Virginia Tech quarterback] Tyrod Taylor," said Sonny Shipp of Scout.com. "You could use [Shepard] at quarterback, receiver or running back and he is going to be a playmaker. He is a touchdown waiting to happen when he has the ball in his hands."
But Shepard, the nation's No. 2 rated quarterback prospect according to Scout.com, has grown into something more than just a phenomenal football prospect.
Shepard, 18, has become not only the nation's most talented athlete, but possibly the NCAA's best recruiter.
"I know that all I can give right now is my verbal commitment," Shepard said. "But my word is my bond. When I say that I am going to do something, I am going to do it. That doesn't mean just play football. That means I am committed to other things, and recruiting is one of them."
With LSU storming out of the 2009 recruiting gates with 11 commitments, Shepard said he has continued to try and do his part to help the Tigers stay atop not only the Southeastern Conference but all of college football.
"I am trying to talk with everybody that LSU has on their board," Shepard said. "I am talking with [Rueben] Randle, [Chris] Davenport, [Craig] Loston, [Jamarkus] McFarland and a ton of other guys. I want the best class in the nation. I want this class to be better than LSU's in 2003."
Viewing Comments 1 - 4 of 4
Robert Mac
posted 4/29/08 @ 10:28 AM CST
Dat's what I'm talking 'bout. GEAUX Shepard!
dale dardeau
posted 4/29/08 @ 10:59 AM CST
What an outstanding young man. We will take all of them like him.
Geaux Tigers!!
john mulliniks
posted 4/29/08 @ 3:11 PM CST
RUSSELL SHEPHERD< just may be what we needed to make a great football player out of RP, he is a good kid as I understand it and I doubt seriously if there is another QB the quality that he is, WELCOME ABOARD RUSSELL, I like a man of his word, and a good recruiter also, god bless you RUSSELL!!! maranatha windriverchoctaw@juno. (Continued…)
Germany2008
posted 4/30/08 @ 10:01 AM CST
Twenty bucks says he will back out and go to UT. hook em
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