Lito Sheppard

Last updated

Lito Sheppard
Lito Sheppard 8-11-05 050811-N-4729H-171.jpg
Sheppard in 2005
No. 26, 29, 21
Position: Cornerback
Personal information
Born: (1981-04-08) April 8, 1981 (age 43)
Jacksonville, Florida, U.S.
Height:5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Weight:194 lb (88 kg)
Career information
High school: Raines (Jacksonville)
College: Florida
NFL draft: 2002  / round: 1 / pick: 26
Career history
As a player:
As a coach:
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Total tackles:345
Sacks:3.0
Forced fumbles:3
Pass deflections:85
Interceptions:19
Defensive touchdowns:3
Player stats at PFR

Lito Decorian Sheppard (born April 8, 1981) is an American football coach and former player. During his playing career as cornerback, he played in the National Football League (NFL) for ten seasons. He was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the first round of the 2002 NFL draft after playing college football for the Florida Gators. He played for the Eagles for seven seasons, and was selected to the Pro Bowl twice. He also played for the NFL's New York Jets, Minnesota Vikings, and Oakland Raiders. As a coach, he was the safeties coach for the Orlando Apollos of the Alliance of American Football (AAF) in 2019.

Contents

Early years

Sheppard was born in Jacksonville, Florida in 1981. [1] He attended William M. Raines High School in Jacksonville, where he was an all-state selection and USA Today All-American at defensive back for the Raines Vikings high school football team. [2] Sheppard had eighteen interceptions in twenty-nine games as a junior and senior, and led the Vikings to an undefeated season and a state championship in 1998. [2] In 2007, eight years after he graduated from high school, the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) recognized Sheppard as one of the "100 Greatest Players of the First 100 Years" of Florida high school football. [2]

College career

Sheppard accepted an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, [3] where he played for coach Steve Spurrier's Gators teams from 1999 to 2001. [4] He was a first-team All-American as a sophomore in 2000, and a first-team All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) selection in 2000 and 2001. [4] In his three-season college career, he started twenty-two games, recorded eight interceptions, had eighty-seven tackles, and returned twenty-seven kickoffs for 472 yards (an average of 22.5 yards per return). [3] Sheppard declared himself eligible for the NFL draft after his junior year. [3]

In one of a series of articles published by The Gainesville Sun in 2006, he was ranked as No. 44 among the 100 greatest Gators from the first 100 years of Florida football. [5]

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables
HeightWeight Vertical jump Broad jump Bench press
5 ft 10 in
(1.78 m)		194 lb
(88 kg)		37.5 in
(0.95 m)		10 ft 0 in
(3.05 m)		11 reps
All values from NFL Combine [6]

Philadelphia Eagles

In the 2002 NFL draft, Sheppard was selected in the first round (twenty-sixth pick overall) by the Philadelphia Eagles. [7]

In 2004 Sheppard had five interceptions, including two returned for touchdowns. He was named Defensive Player of the Month for the month of November after returning two interceptions for touchdowns. Sheppard was selected to his first Pro Bowl in 2004, and he was also named first-team All-Pro for his first and only year.

2005 was the first of three injury-filled seasons for Sheppard. He missed six games and finished with three interceptions.

On October 8, 2006, Sheppard became the first player in NFL history to have two interception returns for touchdowns of more than 100 yards. Both returns came against the Dallas Cowboys (2004 and 2006). The most recent return sealed a 38–24 win over the Cowboys and secured 1st place in the division for the Eagles.

In the Eagles Wild Card playoff game on January 7 against the New York Giants, Sheppard dislocated his elbow. He missed the next playoff game against the Saints, which the Eagles lost 27–24.

In a 2007 game against the Green Bay Packers Sheppard suffered an injury. Sheppard went through another injury-filled season and finished with two interceptions.

In the 2008 offseason, the Philadelphia Eagles signed former New England Patriots cornerback Asante Samuel, which fueled speculation that Sheppard was available via trade. Sheppard changed agents to Drew Rosenhaus soon afterwards.

During the 2008 season, Sheppard saw much reduced action due to good performances by starting corners Asante Samuel and Sheldon Brown.

New York Jets

Sheppard was traded to the New York Jets on February 28, 2009, for a fifth round pick in the 2009 NFL draft and a conditional pick in the 2010 NFL Draft. [8] The Jets restructured Sheppards' contract, adding one year and "new" money to the contract in 2010. [9] He was released on March 4, 2010.

Minnesota Vikings

Sheppard signed a one-year, $2 million contract with the Minnesota Vikings on April 21, 2010. [10] He became a free agent following the 2010 season. [11]

Oakland Raiders

Sheppard was signed by the Oakland Raiders on August 26, 2011, released during the final cuts on September 3, and then re-signed by the team on October 31. During the remainder of the 2011 season, he played in nine games and started seven of them. [1] He became a free agent after the season. [12]

NFL statistics

Regular season

YearTeamGPTacklesFumblesInterceptions
CombSoloAstSackFFFRIntYdsAvgLngTDPD
2002 PHI 12131030.000000.0000
2003 PHI 16514470.01013434.034018
2004 PHI 15565241.000517234.4101214
2005 PHI 10312741.01037224.03409
2006 PHI 13302550.001615726.2102119
2007 PHI 11514740.00022512.51605
2008 PHI 16211830.010100.0004
2009 NYJ 11312560.000100.0008
2010 MIN 13181530.000000.0004
2011 OAK 9434031.000000.0004
Career [13] 126345303423.0311946024.2102385

Postseason

YearTeamGPTacklesFumblesInterceptions
CombSoloAstSackFFFRIntYdsAvgLngTDPD
2003 PHI 21100.000000.0000
2004 PHI 311920.000000.0005
2006 PHI 14310.010000.0000
2008 PHI 32200.000000.0000
2009 NYJ 39810.000000.0001
Career12272340.010000.0006

Coaching career

In 2017, Sheppard became the defense coach for the James Weldon Johnson Trojans and won many games with them. [14]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jevon Kearse</span> American football player (born 1976)

Jevon Kearse, nicknamed "the Freak", is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end for eleven seasons in the National Football League (NFL) during the late 1990s and 2000s. Kearse played college football for the Florida Gators, earning All-American honors and was named the SEC Defensive Player of the Year in 1998.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gerard Warren</span> American football player (born 1978)

Gerard Thurston Warren is an American former professional football player who was a defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL) for eleven seasons. He played college football for the University of Florida. He was selected by the Cleveland Browns third overall in the 2001 NFL draft, and also played professionally for the Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders and New England Patriots of the NFL.

John L. Williams is an American former professional football player who was a running back for 10 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) during the 1980s and 1990s. Williams played college football for the Florida Gators. A first-round pick in the 1986 NFL draft, he played professionally for the Seattle Seahawks and the Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jabar Gaffney</span> American football player (born 1980)

Derrick Jabar Gaffney is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Florida Gators, earning unanimous All-American honors in 2001. He was selected by the Houston Texans in the second round of the 2002 NFL draft, and also played in the NFL for the New England Patriots, Denver Broncos, Washington Redskins, and Miami Dolphins.

Derrick Tyrone Gaffney is an American former college and professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons during the 1970s and 1980s. Gaffney played college football for the University of Florida, and thereafter, he played professionally for the New York Jets of the NFL.

Wilber Buddyhia Marshall is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for five teams from 1984 until 1995. Marshall played college football for the Florida Gators, was twice recognized as a consensus All-American, and is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lomas Brown</span> American football player (born 1963)

Lomas Brown Jr. is an American former professional football player who was an offensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons in the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s. Brown played college football for the Florida Gators, receiving consensus All-American honors. A first-round pick in the 1985 NFL draft, he played professionally for the Detroit Lions and four other NFL teams. He is currently a color analyst for Lions radio broadcasts on WXYT 97.1 The Ticket, as well as a commentator and analyst for ESPN and other television and radio networks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ralph Ortega</span> American football player (born 1953)

Ralph Ortega is an American former college and professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for six seasons during the 1970s and early 1980s. Ortega played college football for the University of Florida, and received All-American honors. A second-round pick in the 1975 NFL draft, he played professionally for the Atlanta Falcons and Miami Dolphins of the NFL.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wes Chandler</span> American football player (born 1956)

Wesley Sandy Chandler is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for eleven seasons during the 1970s and 1980s. He was selected to the Pro Bowl four times, and ranked twelfth in NFL history in receiving yards and thirteenth in receptions when he retired. Chandler is a member of the Chargers Hall of Fame. He played college football for the Florida Gators and was also inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marquand Manuel</span> American football player and coach (born 1979)

Marquand Alexander Manuel is an American football coach and former safety who is the Safeties coach for the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the defensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons and as an assistant coach for the Seattle Seahawks. After playing college football for the University of Florida, he was selected in the sixth round of the 2002 NFL draft. He played for eight seasons in the NFL for the Cincinnati Bengals, Seattle Seahawks, Green Bay Packers, Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos, and Detroit Lions. He was the defensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons from 2017 to 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reggie Nelson</span> American football player (born 1983)

Reggie Lee Nelson is an American former professional football player who was a safety in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Florida Gators, winning a national championship and earning consensus All-American honors. He was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the first round of the 2007 NFL draft and also played for the Cincinnati Bengals and Oakland Raiders.

Thomas Johnson "John" Reaves was an American professional football player who was a quarterback for 11 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) and three seasons in the United States Football League (USFL) during the 1970s and 1980s. Reaves played college football for the Florida Gators football, and earned first-team All-American honors.

Ellis Bernard Johnson is an American former professional football player who was a defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL) for ten seasons during the 1990s and 2000s. Johnson played college football for the University of Florida, and was recognized as the National Defensive Player of the Year. He was selected in the first round of the 1995 NFL draft, and played professionally for the Indianapolis Colts, Atlanta Falcons and Denver Broncos of the NFL.

Michael Dondril Nattiel is an American former college and professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for two seasons during the early 2000s. Nattiel played college football for the University of Florida, and thereafter, he played professionally for the Minnesota Vikings of the NFL.

Huey L. Richardson, Jr. is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL) for two seasons during the 1990s. Richardson played college football for the Florida Gators and earned All-American honors. He was a first-round pick in the 1991 NFL draft and played for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Washington Redskins and the New York Jets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Jones (running back, born 1961)</span> American football player (born 1961)

James Roosevelt Jones is an American former professional football player who was a fullback in the National Football League (NFL) for 10 seasons during the 1980s and early 1990s. Jones played college football for the Florida Gators and then played professionally for the Detroit Lions and the Seattle Seahawks of the NFL.

David Wayne Williams is an American former professional football player who was an offensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons during the 1980s and 1990s. Williams played college football for the University of Florida. He was a first-round pick in the 1989 NFL draft, and played professionally for the Houston Oilers and the New York Jets of the NFL.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Larry Smith (running back)</span> American football player (born 1947)

William Lawrence Smith is an American former professional football player who was a running back for six seasons in the National Football League (NFL) during the 1960s and 1970s. Smith played college football for the Florida Gators, earning All-American honors. He was a first-round pick in the 1969 NFL/AFL draft, and played professionally for the Los Angeles Rams and Washington Redskins of the NFL.

Steven Olson Tannen is an American former professional football player who was a defensive back in the National Football League (NFL) for five seasons during the early 1970s. Tannen played college football for the University of Florida, and was recognized as an All-American. He was a first-round pick in the 1970 NFL draft, and played his entire professional career for the New York Jets of the NFL.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ahmad Black</span> American football player (born 1988)

Ahmad Black is a former American football safety who played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Florida, and was a member of a BCS National Championship team. Black was selected by the Buccaneers in the fifth round of the 2011 NFL draft. Black officially retired from the NFL on April 9, 2017.

References

  1. 1 2 Pro-Football-Reference.com, Players, Lito Sheppard. Retrieved April 12, 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 "FHSAA unveils '100 Greatest Players of First 100 Years' as part of centennial football celebration Archived March 22, 2012, at the Wayback Machine ," Florida High School Athletic Association (December 4, 2007). Retrieved May 26, 2011.
  3. 1 2 3 GatorZone.com, Football History, 2001 Roster, Lito Sheppard Archived 2012-04-02 at the Wayback Machine . Retrieved April 12, 2011.
  4. 1 2 2011 Florida Gators Football Media Guide Archived 2012-04-02 at the Wayback Machine , University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, pp. 80, 89, 94, 97, 136, 148–150, 154, 185 (2011). Retrieved August 31, 2011.
  5. ↑ Robbie Andreu & Pat Dooley, "No. 44 Lito Sheppard," The Gainesville Sun (July 21, 2006). Retrieved April 3, 2013.
  6. ↑ "2002 Draft Scout Lito Sheppard, Florida NFL Draft Scout College Football Profile". draftscout.com. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
  7. ↑ "2002 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  8. ↑ Greg Bishop, "Jets Acquire Sheppard in Latest Renovation," New York Times, p. S1 (February 28, 2009). Retrieved May 23, 2010.
  9. ↑ Rich Cimino, "Jets extend Sheppard's contract Archived 2009-10-10 at the Wayback Machine ," New York Daily News (February 28, 2009). Retrieved May 23, 2010.
  10. ↑ Mike Florio, "Lito shuffles to Minnesota," Profootballtalk.com (April 21, 2010). Retrieved April 21, 2010.
  11. ↑ "List of NFL free agents". al.com. July 27, 2011. Retrieved July 31, 2011.
  12. ↑ Roshan Bhagat, "2012 NFL Free Agent Defensive Backs," Football's Future (undated). Retrieved March 15, 2012.
  13. ↑ "Lito Sheppard Stats". ESPN Internet Ventures. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
  14. ↑ Kerr, Jeff (February 9, 2019). "Legendary Eagles defensive backs coaching in the AAF". 247Sports . Retrieved February 10, 2019.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.