Broncos need a late-round WR? Three sleepers lie up Route 36 at CU

The roar came immediately, a rising ooooOOOO reverberating throughout CU’s weight room Friday as Will Sheppard’s hand slapped dangerously close to the top of a vertical test-stick.

This, for Sheppard, was nothing new. This was his element. He was a leaper in high school, once soaring for a 6-8 high jump back in his early days in Louisiana. And he needed something this Friday, after a slump at the Big 12’s pro day in late March, the CU receiver already snubbed of an invite to the NFL combine in February.

So he bent and exploded, feet eventually floating back to Earth with a vertical that sent shockwaves through both his Colorado teammates and ranks of NFL evaluators: 40.5 inches.

“Just go out, and get paid,” Sheppard told The Denver Post later Friday. “That’s really been the mentality, coming out here today.”

He might’ve done just that. That vertical would’ve ranked third among all receivers at the combine; his broad jump of 10 feet, 11 inches would’ve tied for fourth. A 40-yard-dash of 4.54 seconds didn’t seem quite as impressive until factoring in Sheppard’s 6-foot-3 frame.

And after he ran routes for CU QB Shedeur Sanders’ throwing session, Broncos head coach Sean Payton — making his rounds at CU on Friday — pulled Sheppard aside for a lengthy talk.

“There’s that Louisiana connection … so we had that in common, just talking about how well the workout went today, and just building from there,” Sheppard reflected, noting Payton’s background with the New Orleans Saints.

It could’ve simply been due diligence. But it’s no secret the Broncos are searching for skill-position talent in April’s NFL draft to arm Bo Nix with more weapons. And an entire Denver contingent, from Payton to general manager George Paton to receivers coach Keary Colbert, was on hand for that receiving session Friday.

There’s a near-zero chance the Broncos could land Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter, whom Payton also chatted with Friday. But CU fielded one of the deepest receiver rooms in the country in 2024, and there are several late-round options for the Broncos to look at in their own backyard in April — starting with Sheppard.

Payton’s offenses, historically, have thrived on big-body outside threats. Sheppard is somewhat lighter but profiles similarly to former Saints legend Marques Colston (6-foot-4) and current Broncos top option Courtland Sutton (also 6-foot-4). His stats didn’t pop off the page in 2024, with 48 catches for 620 yards in an offense with several mouths to feed. But Sheppard is a consistent red-zone threat, with 23 touchdowns across his last three collegiate seasons, and could be a jump-ball weapon for Payton.