Back in 2024, the Colorado Buffaloes had a problem. Xavier Weaver was gone, and Shedeur Sanders needed a new go-to receiver – someone who could turn those risky throws into big plays. The answer? Will Sheppard, a Vanderbilt transfer with hands like glue and the confidence to match. “My best attribute is my ball skills—just being an outlet,” Sheppard told reporters during spring camp. “If Shedeur was ever in trouble, he could throw it up and know it’s not a 50/50 ball. More like 80/20… I’m gonna make that play.” And Will wasn’t lying. Week after week, Sheppard proved he was that receiver, hauling in passes and turning broken plays into highlights. 

So when Sheppard’s latest career move dropped this Monday, it’s no surprise that Browns rookie Shedeur had no words. So, what’s the fuss about? On Monday, NFL insider Jordan Schultz posted on X: “Former Colorado WR Will Sheppard is signing with the #Packers, per source.” Just like that, Sheppard’s NFL dream became real – and his old QB couldn’t stay quiet. Shedeur Sanders saw the post and immediately reposted it with just one emoji: 🔥. No long caption, no flashy words – just pure hype for his former teammate. Because that’s all you need when someone you battled with in practice and balled out with on Saturdays takes that next step.

Will Sheppard’s path to the Packers wasn’t some fairy tale – it was pure grind. After transferring to Colorado in 2024, he quickly became Shedeur Sanders’s safety net, hauling in 48 catches for 621 yards and 6 TDs. Those numbers don’t jump off the page. But anyone who watched the Buffs last season knew: when Shedeur needed a play, Sheppard was often the guy. Third down? Red zone? Didn’t matter. The 6’3″ receiver used his frame to win battles, turning contested throws into chain-movers.

But the NFL draft came and went without Sheppard hearing his name. No phone call from a GM, no draft party celebration – just the quiet determination of an undrafted free agent signing with Tampa Bay. Then, another setback: Tampa Bay cut him after a failed physical in May. After that, Will showed up at Broncos minicamp on a rookie tryout, balled out, but still walked away without a deal.

Will Sheppard’s rocky road to the NFL

Will Sheppard’s football journey reads like a playbook on perseverance. The Louisiana native began his college career at Vanderbilt in 2020 as just another freshman fighting for reps, catching only two passes his entire first season. But by Week 5 of 2021, he announced his arrival with an 8-catch, 119-yard, 2-touchdown explosion against UConn.

Sheppard kept building momentum, developing into Vanderbilt’s most dangerous weapon. His 2022 campaign put the SEC on notice. 60 catches for 776 yards and 9TDs, including a 10-reception, 171-yard clinic against Northern Illinois. The production earned him second-team All-SEC honors and a spot on the 2023 Biletnikoff Award watchlist. But after four years in Nashville, Sheppard bet on himself again – this time transferring to Colorado to catch passes from Shedeur Sanders.

While his 621-yard season in Boulder didn’t blow up the stat sheet, Sheppard showed the traits that make NFL teams take fliers on players. As Bleacher Report’s Dame Parson noted before the draft. “Sheppard is a solid route-runner. He attacks leverage with jab steps at the line of scrimmage…He excels at playing through contact at the catch point and after the catch.” That technical polish made him a high-floor prospect, even if his 4.59 forty time kept him from hearing his name called during draft weekend.

Now in Green Bay, Sheppard faces his toughest challenge yet. The Packers’ receiver room is stacked with young talent like Jayden Reed and Romeo Doubs. Not to mention recent draft picks Mathew Golden and Savion Williams. Realistically, Sheppard’s path starts on the practice squad – the same proving ground where countless NFL careers have quietly begun.

This signing won’t move the needle for the 2025 Packers, but that’s not the point. For Sheppard, it’s another chance – the latest in a career full of them. From Vanderbilt afterthought to Colorado contributor to NFL longshot, his story has always been about outworking the odds.