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Former Colorado Buffaloes Wideout Amongst Trialists at Broncos Minicamp

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Griffin Goodwyn | Last updated Jun 11, 2025 11:50 AM ET

Rookie wide receiver Will Sheppard has become increasingly familiar with the state of Colorado in the last 12 months.

Sheppard, who spent the first four years of his college football career in Nashville with Vanderbilt, transferred to the University of Colorado Boulder and played with the Buffaloes' football team in 2024.

After exhausting his NCAA eligibility, Sheppard is taking another crack at making a name for himself in the Centennial State. Sheppard was present at the first day of the Denver Broncos' mandatory minicamp on Tuesday, according to The Denver Post's Luca Evans.

Sheppard will attempt to make the Broncos' 90-man roster ahead of the team's training camp. As things currently stand, the Broncos have a wealth of options at the wide receiver position in the form of Courtland Sutton, Marvin Mims Jr., Devaughn Vele, Troy Franklin, and Pat Bryant, among others.

But head coach Sean Payton told reporters on Tuesday that routes to the roster are always possible for tryout players.

"We're evaluating everything. We'll watch the tape, and they have a helmet and a jersey on. We're looking closely. Can they help us? What's the vision? What could they do?" Payton said. "Because history has told me, personally, I've found guys in this camp who weren't on the 90 that later became on the 90, and then played the following year."

In his lone season with Colorado, Sheppard linked up with current Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders and caught 48 passes for 621 receiving yards and six touchdowns. Sheppard is credited with 200 receptions, 2,688 receiving yards, and 27 touchdowns over the course of his five-year college career. He also picked up All-SEC Second Team honors in 2022.

Sheppard signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a free agent following the 2025 NFL Draft, but he was released on May 9 after failing a physical.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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