Student-Athlete Features
VUCommodores.com — The Good Sheppard
Vanderbilt Hustler — From sidelines to stardom: the tremendous rise of Will Sheppard
Vanderbilt Hustler — Will Sheppard: Becoming his best self
As a Senior (2023)
• SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll
• Started all 12 games, leading Vanderbilt with 684 receiving yards and eight receiving touchdowns
• Ranks in the top 15 in the SEC in receiving yards, receiving yards per game, total touchdowns and yards per reception
• Eighth receiver in Vanderbilt history to eclipse 2,000 career receiving yards
• Tied for third in school history with 21 career receiving touchdowns
• Accepted invitation to the Shrine Bowl
• Ranked No. 7 all-time at Vanderbilt with 2,067 career receiving yards
• Third team All-SEC (College Football Network)
• Midseason All-America, third team (College Football Network)
• Midseason All-SEC, first team (College Football Network)
• Registered his 154th career catch at Ole Miss, tied with Chuck Scott for seventh all-time at Vanderbilt
• Finished the game with three catches for a season-high 107 receiving yards and an 85-yard touchdown at Florida
• Made five catches for a season-high 98 yards and a touchdown against Missouri
• Grabbed the 132nd catch of his career in the game versus Kentucky
• Caught eight passes for 87 yards and two touchdowns at Wake Forest
• Recorded two touchdowns in win over Alabama A&M
• Recorded two touchdowns in win over Hawai’i
• Represented team at 2023 SEC Media Days
• Second-team preseason All-SEC (coaches)
• Second-team preseason All-SEC (Phil Steele)
• Third-team preseason All-SEC, offense (Athlon)
• Senior Bowl Watch List
• Named to preseason Shrine Bowl 1000
As a Junior (2022)
• Second team All-SEC (Associated Press)
• Third team All-SEC (Phil Steele)
• Named to SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll
• Played in all 12 games
• Finished season with 60 catches for 776 yards and nine touchdowns
• Nine receiving touchdowns were second in the SEC and 11th in FBS
• Fourth in the SEC with 5.0 receptions per game
• Caught a game-winning touchdown pass with 32 seconds left to secure win at Kentucky, team’s first SEC win since 2019
• Finished with nine catches for 87 yards and a touchdown against Ole Miss
• Recorded two touchdowns and career-highs in both receptions (10) and receiving yards (171) in win at Northern Illinois
• Scored a touchdown against Wake Forest
• Posted two touchdowns in win against Elon
• Recorded two touchdowns in season opener win at Hawai’i
As a Sophomore (2021)
• Started and played 11 games
• Led team with four touchdown receptions
• Second on team with 560 receiving yards
• Eight catches for 119 yards and two scores in win over UConn
• Part of Vanderbilt’s first game with a 300-yard passer and two 100-yard receivers since 2013, as Sheppard and Chris Pierce each went over 100 yards receiving in the win over the Huskies, with QB Ken Seals throwing for 333 yards
• Three catches and a career-best 120 yards at South Carolina
As a Freshman (2020)
• Played in eight games
• Two receptions for 30 yards
• First career catch was 24-yard grab against No. 6 Florida
• Six-yard reception at Missouri
• One tackle on special teams against Tennessee in the season finale
The Sheppard File
• 2,252 receiving yards and 33 touchdowns on 126 catches in prep career
• 1,276 receiving yards and 24 touchdowns on 62 catches as a senior
• 30 receptions, 601 receiving yards and five touchdowns as a junior
• 2019 all-region first team
• 2019 all-conference first team
• 2018 all-region first team
• 2018 all-conference first team
• Varsity letters in football, basketball and track and field
• Full name is William Miles Sheppard
• Born in Ruston, Louisiana
• Son of Willie Sheppard and Rebekah Boyd
• Father played football at Louisiana Tech
• Mother played volleyball at Louisiana Tech
• One brother, Nate
• Earned his undergraduate degree with a major in medicine, health and society