New York Giants rookie receiver Sterling Shepard is already drawing comparisons to a Pro Bowl receiver.
New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton, who is prepping to take on Shepard and the Giants in Week 2, said New York’s rookie has reminded him of Green Bay Packers receiver Randall Cobb.
Sean Payton on Giants WR Sterling Shepard: Quick feet, smart and reminded him of Randall Cobb.
— Josh Katzenstein (@jkatzenstein) September 15, 2016
The 40th overall pick in the 2016 draft, Shepard has already carved out a major role for the Giants offense. He saw four targets in his NFL debut, catching three—including a touchdown—for 43 yards. On his first NFL score, Shepard beat the Dallas Cowboys coverage on a quick wheel route and finished the play with a leaping score over the trailing defender.
“On the touchdown, Odell came in front of me, did kind of like a crossing route and I just saw the ball in the air,” Shepard said, via the Giants’ official site. “I knew the ball was going to come. I just had to go up and get it. That one’s got to be up there with the best catches in my career at any level, to be honest. That one’s got to be up there.”
It’s easy to see Payton’s comparison with Cobb, who is a similarly built receiver capable of making big plays from the slot and as an outside receiver. While Cobb didn’t become a major part of the Packers offense until his second and third seasons, Shepard is clearly going to see a large volume of targets as a rookie.
Giants coach Ben McAdoo, who was in Green Bay when the Packers took Cobb, should be uniquely experienced in ways of getting his new rookie receiver the football.
“He’s not a guy that makes a bunch of mistakes,” McAdoo said, via ESPN. “He’ll make some mistakes like some young receivers do. He learns from them and he moves on. He can take hard coaching.”
