The New York Giants' Brave New Weapon

Sterling Shepard has overcome childhood tragedy to evolve into one of the premier college wideouts. Can he do the same thing at the next level?

Location: Knoxville, Tennessee. He’s in enemy territory. Second overtime. His experienced hands pluck the ball from the air. He locks eyes with the Tennessee defender and plants his foot into the ground for the briefest of seconds. As the defender attempts to launch him out of bounds, he does the unexpected: He leaps into the air. As the defender’s body heaves forward below him, he lands skillfully and tiptoes down the sideline into the end zone with the grace of a ballet dancer. Touchdown. Ballgame.

All of this occurred after he caught the game-tying…