With the 2024 NFL Draft out of the way and the undrafted free agent signings in the immediate aftermath of the draft, the next item on the agenda is the rookie minicamp. Several players have already been invited, and the latest is Kent State DB Bryce Sheppert, per Kent State Football’s account on X.
In two years at Kent State, Sheppert had 97 total tackles, 66 solo tackles, one tackle for loss, one interception, and seven passes defensed. He took a big jump in 2023, with the majority of his production coming last season.
At his Pro Day he measured in at 5092, 182 pounds, with 28 7/8-inch arms. He ran a 4.53-second 40-yard dash, jumped a 40 1/2-inch vertical, and put up 13 reps on the bench press.
In addition to his work as a defensive back, he got a lot of work as a kick returner at Kent State in 2023. He returned 14 kicks for 311 total yards, an average of 22.2 yards per attempt. He had just one punt return for 17 yards.
Prior to Kent State, Sheppert was at Notre Dame College where he also played defensive back and served as their return specialist. He averaged over 20 yards per kick return and 10 yards per punt return during his time there and returned two for touchdowns. He was named Mountain East Conference’s Freshman of the Year and was All-Conference there for three straight seasons.
The Steelers will hold their rookie minicamp in a little over a week from May 10-12. We currently have several reported invites, including Jacksonville State C Try Brown, Ferris State CB Shon Stephens, Fresno State DL Johnny Hudson, and Benedict College QB Aeneas Dennis. They will have a chance to compete with all of the other invites for a couple of roster spots. There are typically at least 20 players that get invited, so a lot of dogs for just a few bones.
