| INDIANAPOLIS — Following the recently completed football season, the
University of Florida lost its head coach and several underclassmen, including junior CB
Lito Sheppard. Sheppard considers himself a "big-play corner" and is expected to
be off the board by the end of the second round of the NFL draft April 20. Q: Do you
put pressure on yourself to make big plays, and are you a gambler?
A: It’s just good fortune, and our coaches put us in the right position to make
plays.
Q: How much of that is natural, and how much of it comes from film study?
A: It’s all natural. You can only read on how a receiver is going to play. They
never do what you see on film.
Q: How much better are you for having faced Reche Caldwell and Jabar Gaffney every
day in practice?
A: It made me a much better player. I went against the best receivers in college
football every day in practice. It made me a lot better and gave me confidence knowing
there were no other receivers out there as talented as ours.
Q: How difficult was it to leave early?
A: It really wasn’t too hard. I had made my decision. I have things I need to
accomplish as a man, and I’m ready to do that.
Q: Why were you ready?
A: I think I accomplished what I needed to at the college level, and I’m ready to
go against the best competition out there.
Q: Did your decision have anything to do with Steve Spurrier leaving Florida?
A: I had made my decision before that. It didn’t help keep me there when he left.
Q: Do you expect to be a Redskin?
A: I think (Spurrier) might go after one of his receivers first. That’s my coach.
Q: Who is the best receiver you’ve ever faced?
A: There are two that really stick out for me. Donté Stallworth and Tim Carter at
Auburn. Stallworth runs pretty good routes and has pretty good speed. I like his style of
play. Tim made you tense on every play. He’s so fast, you can’t mess up.
Q: There were some pretty good receivers in the Southeastern Conference and
non-conference. Did you ever get down?
A: Coach made it my business not to get down. He put me on the best receiver on every
team: (Javon) Walker at Florida State, Tim Carter, Stallworth. I got up for those games.
They were intense.
Q: Who did you cover against Miami (in 2000)?
A: I started out covering Reggie (Wayne), and then I stuck Santana (Moss). It was like
half-and-half.
Q: How many touchdowns did you give up in your career?
A: My freshman year I gave up two or three. My sophomore and junior year, a total of
one. It was against Florida State, a five-yard hitch for a touchdown. But that was the
only one in two years.
Q: Do you prefer press coverage?
A: Yes. If I’m in man-to-man, I’m definitely pressing. I don’t prefer
off-man.
Q: Did (new Florida coach) Ron Zook try to talk you into staying?
A: I met Zook after I made my decision. He’s a very nice guy. I wouldn’t have
had a problem playing for him.
Q: Is there anything that would have kept you at Florida?
A: Ahhh … if Reche (Caldwell) and Jabar (Gaffney) would have stayed. If they would
have stayed, I would have stayed.
Q: When will you run?
A: I’m going to do the drills here, but I’m going to run at Florida on March
13th.
Q: What is your best 40-time?
A: I keep that a secret.
Q: Why is it a secret?
A: I just choose not to advertise it. You’ll know the 13th.
Q: Do you expect to go in the first round?
A: Yeah. I’m confident in my abilities.
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