Lito Sheppard
Encyclopedia
Lito Decorian Sheppard is an American football
cornerback
for the Oakland Raiders
of the National Football League
(NFL). He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles
in the first round of the 2002 NFL Draft
. He played college football
for the University of Florida
.
Sheppard has also played for the New York Jets
and Minnesota Vikings
. He was selected to the Pro Bowl
in 2004
and 2006
while with the Eagles.
in 1981. He attended William M. Raines High School
in Jacksonville, where he was an all-state and USA Today
All-American at defensive back
for the Raines Vikings high school football
team. Sheppard had eighteen interception
s in twenty-nine games as a junior
and senior
, and led the Vikings to an undefeated season a state championship in 1998. In 2007, eight years after he graduated from high school, the Florida High School Athletic Association
(FHSAA) recognized Sheppard as one of the "100 Greatest Players of the First 100 Years" of Florida high school football.
to attend the University of Florida
in Gainesville, Florida
, where he played college football
for coach Steve Spurrier
's Florida Gators football
team from 1999 to 2001
. He was a first-team All-American as a sophomore
in 2000
, and a first-team All-Southeastern Conference
(SEC) selection in 2000 and 2001. In his three-season college career, he started twenty-two games, recorded eight interceptions, had eighty-seven tackles, and returned twenty-seven kickoffs for 472 yards (an average of 22.5 yards per return). Sheppard declared himself eligible for the NFL Draft
after his junior year.
, Sheppard was selected in the first round (twenty-sixth pick overall) by the Philadelphia Eagles
.
In 2004 Sheppard had five interceptions, including two returned for touchdowns. He was named Defensive Player of the Month for the month of November after returning two interceptions for touchdowns. Sheppard was selected to his first Pro Bowl in 2004.
2005 was the first of three injury filled seasons for Sheppard. He missed six games and finished with three interceptions.
On October 8, 2006, Lito became the first player in NFL history to have two interception returns of more than 100 yards. Both returns came against the Dallas Cowboys
(2004 and 2006). The most recent return sealed a 38-24 win over the Cowboys and secured 1st place in the division for the Eagles.
In the Eagles Wild Card playoff game on January 7 against the New York Giants
, Sheppard dislocated his elbow. He missed the next playoff game against the Saints
, which the Eagles lost 27-24.
In a 2007 game against the Green Bay Packers
Sheppard suffered an injury. Sheppard went through another injury-filled season and finished with two interceptions.
In the 2008 offseason, the Philadelphia Eagles
signed former New England Patriots
cornerback Asante Samuel
. This fueled speculation that Sheppard was available via trade. That offseason, he changed agents to Drew Rosenhaus
.
During the 2008 season, Sheppard saw much reduced action due to good performances by starting corners Asante Samuel
and Sheldon Brown.
on February 28, 2009, for a fifth round pick in the 2009 NFL Draft
and a conditional pick in the 2010 NFL Draft. The Jets shortly after restructured Sheppards' contract, adding one year and "new" money to the contract in 2010. He was released on March 4, 2010.
on April 21, 2010. He became a free agent following the 2010 season
.
on August 26, 2011, and released during the final cutdowns on September 3. He was re-signed by the team on October 31. The team made the announcement via their Facebook and Twitter accounts. It was announced that Sheppard would wear jersey number 21, previously worn by Nnamdi Asomugha
.
Jabar Gaffney
who also played for the Florida Gators.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
for the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
(NFL). He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the first round of the 2002 NFL Draft
2002 NFL Draft
The 2002 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. The draft is known officially as the "NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting" and has been conducted annually since 1936. The draft took place April 20–21, 2002 at the theater at...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
for the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
.
Sheppard has also played for the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
. He was selected to the Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
in 2004
2005 Pro Bowl
The 2005 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played February 13, 2005 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The final score was AFC 38 - NFC 27. The most valuable player was Peyton Manning of the Colts. The game holds the record as the latest Pro Bowl played during the calendar year.-Game summary:The game...
and 2006
2007 Pro Bowl
The 2007 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl took place on February 10, 2007, at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The game was held on a Saturday instead of the usual Sunday after the Super Bowl because of a request by broadcaster CBS....
while with the Eagles.
Early years
Sheppard was born in Jacksonville, FloridaJacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
in 1981. He attended William M. Raines High School
William M. Raines High School
William Marion Raines Senior High School is a historically black high school in Jacksonville, Florida. The school is located off Moncrief Road in Jacksonville, Florida's northside. Located at the corner Raines Avenue in northwest Jacksonville, Raines serves approximately 1000 students. The school...
in Jacksonville, where he was an all-state and USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
All-American at defensive back
Defensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
for the Raines Vikings high school football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
team. Sheppard had eighteen interception
Interception (football)
An interception, intercept or pick is a move in many forms of football, including Canadian and American football, as well as rugby league, rugby union, Australian rules football and Gaelic football, which involves a pass, either by foot or hand, being caught by an opposition player, who usually...
s in twenty-nine games as a junior
Junior (education)
"Junior" is a term used in the United States to describe a student in their 3rd year of study . A Junior is considered an upperclassman...
and senior
Senior (education)
Senior is a term used in the United States to describe a student in the 4th year of study .-High school:...
, and led the Vikings to an undefeated season a state championship in 1998. In 2007, eight years after he graduated from high school, the Florida High School Athletic Association
Florida High School Athletic Association
The Florida High School Athletic Association is an organization whose purpose is to organize sports competition for high school It is a member of the National Federation of State High School Associations ....
(FHSAA) recognized Sheppard as one of the "100 Greatest Players of the First 100 Years" of Florida high school football.
College career
Sheppard received an athletic scholarshipAthletic scholarship
An athletic scholarship is a form of scholarship to attend a college or university awarded to an individual based predominantly on his or her ability to play in a sport...
to attend the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
in Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Alachua County, Florida, United States as well as the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The preliminary 2010 Census population count for Gainesville is 124,354. Gainesville is home to the sixth...
, where he played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
for coach Steve Spurrier
Steve Spurrier
Stephen Orr Spurrier is an American college football coach and player. Spurrier is the current head coach of the University of South Carolina's Gamecocks football team. He is also a former professional player and coach...
's Florida Gators football
Florida Gators football
The Florida Gators football team represents the University of Florida in the sport of American football. The Florida Gators compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletics Association and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference...
team from 1999 to 2001
2001 Florida Gators football team
The 2001 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida in the sport of American football during the 2001 college football season...
. He was a first-team All-American as a sophomore
Sophomore
Sophomore is a term used in the United States to describe a student in the second year of study at high school or university.The word is also used as a synonym for "second", for the second album or EP released by a musician or group, the second movie of a director, or the second season of a...
in 2000
2000 Florida Gators football team
September 30, 2000The Florida Gators came into Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, Mississippi ranked third in the nation. The unranked Mississippi State Bulldogs ran for 351 yards, 172 yards and a touchdown for Dicenzo Miller, and 156 yards and a touchdown for Dontae Walker. Bulldogs quarterback...
, and a first-team All-Southeastern Conference
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
(SEC) selection in 2000 and 2001. In his three-season college career, he started twenty-two games, recorded eight interceptions, had eighty-seven tackles, and returned twenty-seven kickoffs for 472 yards (an average of 22.5 yards per return). Sheppard declared himself eligible for the NFL Draft
NFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
after his junior year.
Philadelphia Eagles
In the 2002 NFL Draft2002 NFL Draft
The 2002 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. The draft is known officially as the "NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting" and has been conducted annually since 1936. The draft took place April 20–21, 2002 at the theater at...
, Sheppard was selected in the first round (twenty-sixth pick overall) by the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
In 2004 Sheppard had five interceptions, including two returned for touchdowns. He was named Defensive Player of the Month for the month of November after returning two interceptions for touchdowns. Sheppard was selected to his first Pro Bowl in 2004.
2005 was the first of three injury filled seasons for Sheppard. He missed six games and finished with three interceptions.
On October 8, 2006, Lito became the first player in NFL history to have two interception returns of more than 100 yards. Both returns came against the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
(2004 and 2006). The most recent return sealed a 38-24 win over the Cowboys and secured 1st place in the division for the Eagles.
In the Eagles Wild Card playoff game on January 7 against the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Sheppard dislocated his elbow. He missed the next playoff game against the Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
, which the Eagles lost 27-24.
In a 2007 game against the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
Sheppard suffered an injury. Sheppard went through another injury-filled season and finished with two interceptions.
In the 2008 offseason, the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
signed former New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
cornerback Asante Samuel
Asante Samuel
Asante T. Samuel is an American football cornerback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League . He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the fourth round of the 2003 NFL Draft...
. This fueled speculation that Sheppard was available via trade. That offseason, he changed agents to Drew Rosenhaus
Drew Rosenhaus
Drew Rosenhaus is an American sports agent who represents professional football players. He owns the Miami-based sports agency, Rosenhaus Sports, and is known for using aggressive tactics on behalf of his clients who play in the National Football League.Rosenhaus currently represents approximately...
.
During the 2008 season, Sheppard saw much reduced action due to good performances by starting corners Asante Samuel
Asante Samuel
Asante T. Samuel is an American football cornerback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League . He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the fourth round of the 2003 NFL Draft...
and Sheldon Brown.
New York Jets
Sheppard was traded to the New York JetsNew York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on February 28, 2009, for a fifth round pick in the 2009 NFL Draft
2009 NFL Draft
The 2009 NFL Draft was the seventy-fourth annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. The draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 25 and 26, 2009. The draft consisted of two rounds on the first day starting at 4:00...
and a conditional pick in the 2010 NFL Draft. The Jets shortly after restructured Sheppards' contract, adding one year and "new" money to the contract in 2010. He was released on March 4, 2010.
Minnesota Vikings
Sheppard signed a one-year, $2 million contract with the Minnesota VikingsMinnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
on April 21, 2010. He became a free agent following the 2010 season
2010 NFL season
The 2010 NFL season was the 91st regular season of the National Football League.The regular season began with the NFL Kickoff game on NBC on Thursday, September 9, at the Louisiana Superdome as the New Orleans Saints, Super Bowl XLIV champions, defeated the Minnesota Vikings 14–9.Tom Brady,...
.
Oakland Raiders
Sheppard was signed by the Oakland RaidersOakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on August 26, 2011, and released during the final cutdowns on September 3. He was re-signed by the team on October 31. The team made the announcement via their Facebook and Twitter accounts. It was announced that Sheppard would wear jersey number 21, previously worn by Nnamdi Asomugha
Nnamdi Asomugha
Nnamdi Asomugha is an American cornerback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League . He was drafted in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders and played college football for the Golden Bears at the University of California, Berkeley...
.
Personal
Sheppard is the cousin of current Redskins wide receiverWide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
Jabar Gaffney
Jabar Gaffney
Derrick Jabar Gaffney is an American football wide receiver for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Houston Texans in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft...
who also played for the Florida Gators.
See also
- 2000 College Football All-America Team2000 College Football All-America TeamThe 2000 College Football All-America Team is composed of the following All-American Teams: Associated Press, Football Writers Association of America, American Football Coaches Association, Walter Camp Foundation, The Sporting News, Pro Football Weekly, Football News, Sports Illustrated and...
- Florida GatorsFlorida GatorsThe Florida Gators are the intercollegiate sports teams that represent the University of Florida located in Gainesville, Florida. The "Lady Gators" is an alternative nickname sometimes used by the Gators women's teams...
- Florida Gators football, 1990–1999
- List of Florida Gators football players
- List of Philadelphia Eagles first-round draft picks
External links
- Lito26Sheppard.com – Official Lito Sheppard website.
- Florida Gators bio
- Philadelphia Eagles bio