New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning is unsurprisingly thrilled about the addition of second-round receiver Sterling Shepard, according to his father.
“Eli’s really excited about that,” Archie Manning said, via the Houston Chronicle. “After he was drafted, I got texts from guys like Bob Stoops, Barry Switzer and Spencer Tillman – all loyal Sooners – telling me not only is he a great player, but he’s also a great kid.”
The Giants took Shepard with the 40th pick in the 2016 draft. He’ll team with Odell Beckham Jr. in New York to give Manning and the Giants a potentially dynamic 1-2 punch at receiver.
“When you get a good player who’s talented, that’s always great,” Manning said. “But when you get one who’s talented and has character and integrity like Sterling Shepard, that’s even better.”
During his final season at Oklahoma, Sterling caught 86 passes for 1,288 yards and 11 touchdowns. Manning will especially appreciate Sterling’s sticky hands:
Eli Manning had 37 passes dropped in ’15, 4th-most in NFL. Rookie WR Sterling Shepard dropped just 4 on 118 targets, class’ 10th-lowest rate
— Pro Football Focus (@PFF) May 3, 2016
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Giants head coach Ben McAdoo has compared Sterling to Packers receiver Randall Cobb, who McAdoo coached in Green Bay. Over the last two seasons, Cobb has produced 170 catches for 2,116 yards and 18 touchdowns.
If Sterling can come close to replicating Cobb’s production as the No. 2 behind Beckham, the Giants offense could take a big step forward.
But Manning didn’t only get help from Shepard. On the draft’s third day, the Giants took UCLA running back Paul Perkins and South Carolina tight end Jerell Adams.
Manning threw 35 touchdown passes and made the Pro Bowl last season, but the Giants only won six games. The big additions on defense (see: free agency haul, first-round pick Eli Apple) and the presence of Shepard as a safety valve after Beckham could help Manning and the Giants translate the big numbers into wins.
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