A sixth-round draft pick in 2015, former Kansas defensive back JaCorey Shepherd had worked his way up the Philadelphia Eagles’ depth chart heading into his rookie NFL season.
But after putting himself in position to play as the Eagles’ nickel corner, a training camp collision with Darren Sproles tore the ACL in Shepherd’s right knee, forcing him to miss the entire 2015 schedule.
Still, putting his professional career on hold in order to rehab his knee hasn’t changed the 23-year-old’s outlook too drastically.
Shepherd told [PhillyMag.com’s Birds 24/7][1] site he hasn’t left The City of Brotherly Love much since the injury, and described his path toward recovery as “hard.”
> “It’s been crazy, but I learned a lot
> about myself and a lot about the game
> and how to be patient,” Shepherd said
> in the report, “and a lot about how to
> take care of my body.”
The young Eagles defensive back told Birds 24/7 his knee rehabilitation is ahead of schedule, and because he has never spent so much time away from football the rest has done his body a favor.
Shepherd hopes to be knee brace-free by training camp this summer.
> “I have no doubt. As of right now the
> way everything’s going, I’ll be ready
> for sure,” Shepherd said, “and maybe
> I’ll be able to do something in the
> mandatory minicamp.”
Shepherd understands that once he is cleared to play, he’ll likely have to prove himself a worthy option in the secondary all over again, and he is eager for the challenge.
> “I know the expectations were kinda
> high,” Shepherd told Birds 24/7 of his
> potential entering last season. “I’m
> going to keep ’em high, regardless of
> how they view it or how anyone else
> views it. I still look at myself to
> [pick up] where I left off, and I’m
> not going to settle for anything else…
> I’m not going to use this as an
> excuse.”
[1]: http://www.phillymag.com/birds247/2016/05/09/eagles-wake-up-call-jacorey-shepherd-on-the-mend/#qPWxcVeAgKDofhWp.99
