Sam Shields on fast track for roster spot

GREEN BAY — If you’re a fan of the University of Wisconsin football team, then you should remember Sam Shields.

He was that blur in a white Miami (Fla.) uniform that streaked across your television at the beginning of last year’s Champs Sports Bowl.

Shields took a reverse on the opening kickoff and raced 90 yards for a touchdown — only it was called back to the UW 16-yard line for a clipping penalty.

“It was like right by me when I was running,” Shields said. “I seen the dude clip him. I’m like, ‘Aw, man. I hope they didn’t see it.’ But then I seen the flag.”

The touchdown might not have counted. But it showed the sort of explosiveness that Shields possesses, a commodity the Green Bay Packers — his new employer — sorely lacked in the return game last season.

Shields, who signed as a free agent in the wake of last weekend’s NFL draft, is officially listed on the roster as a cornerback. But his best shot at making the Packers likely rests on his ability on special teams.

Shields said he played on both return teams and both coverage units at Miami. With his exceptional speed — he was timed in the low 4.3s at the school’s pro day leading up to the draft — he was particularly effective working as a gunner on punt coverage.

“I love that a lot,” said Shields, a track standout at Booker High School in Sarasota, Fla., who also ran track during his sophomore year at Miami.

Despite his rare speed, Shields wasn’t used as a kick or punt returner with the Hurricanes — the return against UW was on a set play. But he said he handled those assignments in high school, and returned kicks on the scout team at Miami.

The Packers seem interested in seeing how Shields would fare in that role. He said the team spoke to him about working in the return game before he signed, and he fielded kicks and punts during Friday’s practice, the only workout open to reporters during this weekend’s rookie orientation camp.

“That’s someone that jumped out at everybody, just talking with (cornerbacks coach) Joe Whitt as we were walking off the field,” Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy said. “He has exceptional speed, and he looked very natural as far as catching the ball as you move forward and really attacking the landmark. I thought just the number of balls he did catch, that did jump out to me.”

As for his primary position, Shields is still developing at cornerback. He was recruited out of high school as a wide receiver and played there during his first three years at Miami.

But after catching 37 passes for 501 yards and four touchdowns as a true freshman, Shields’ production fell off as a sophomore and again as a junior.

He switched to cornerback in spring practices last year and started 10 games as a senior.

“I feel more comfortable than I used to be,” said Shields, who had 41 tackles, two pass breakups, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery as a senior. “It’s just now up here, you’ve got to do a lot of calling. Back in college you listened to the safeties, and whatever the safeties gave you, then you’re clear. But now you’ve got to do a lot calling, so that’s been tough on me.”

Shields said he picked the Packers’ offer over ones from Oakland, Washington, Detroit, New Orleans and Kansas City. He might not have been available as a free agent were it not for a March arrest for marijuana possession.

Shields said police found the drug in his truck, but that it belonged to the grandmother of one of his two daughters. The charges have since been dropped.

“At the time it happened,” he said, “I thought everything was over for me.”

Not so.

“I got a lot of calls after the draft, and I thought the Packers were a good fit for me, doing my homework, looking at the depth chart and things like that,” he said. “I can see myself working with Charles Woodson and Al Harris, getting some work in to help out.”



(madison.com)