The Philadelphia Eagles are down another cornerback after sixth-round pick JaCorey Shepherd suffered a likely season-ending knee injury in practice on Sunday. An MRI confirmed on Monday that Shepherd tore his ACL in his right knee, according to the team.
Eagles CB JaCorey Shepherd likely out for season with torn ACL
Shepherd was handling nickel cornerback duties after the Eagles traded Brandon Boykin to the Steelers.
Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Shepherd was taking first-team snaps for the Eagles as a nickel cornerback, replacing Brandon Boykin, who was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Aug. 1. With both Boykin and Shepherd out of the lineup, 2014 fourth-round pick Jaylen Watkins took over the nickel cornerback duties in practice.
In his senior season at Kansas, Shepherd earned All-Big 12 first-team honors just a couple of years after he made the switch from wide receiver to cornerback as a sophomore.
Shepherd was one of three cornerbacks selected by the Eagles in the 2015 NFL Draft, along with Eric Rowe and Randall Evans. While Rowe is likely to play on the outside, Evans could be an option for the Eagles as a nickel cornerback, as could former Tampa Bay Buccaneers starter E.J. Biggers.
Dante Fowler of the Jacksonville Jaguars and Jeff Heuerman of the Denver Broncos, a pair of 2015 draft picks also expected to contribute as rookies, suffered ACL tears earlier in the offseason.
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