Film Don't Lie: TJ Sheffield
Brian Kelly has not sent out the commitment bat signal on Twitter so perhaps it’s not “officially official”. Whatever it is, it was a surprise that no one was expecting. Wide receiver TJ Sheffield is Irish.
He’s a slot receiver that can win in different ways. Sheffield is a good prospect that should compete with other receivers who have similar body types on the current roster. However unexpected it was, it’s still a good pickup for Notre Dame.
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 170
Projected Position: Slot Receiver
ISD Grade: 91 (4-star)
National Average Grade: 90.9 (4-star)
What he does best:
Sheffield does an awesome job of adjusting to the football while it’s in the air. His ability to track the ball and change his body position to bring it down is impressive. That and his strong hands while fighting through contact stand out the most to me.
There are numerous times where he is about to take punishment from a defensive back over the middle and he holds on to the football. It’s such an important part of being a slot receiver who has to make a living over the middle of the field. Sheffield can do that and Notre Dame can feel confident that he will show no fear despite the potential to get hit.
Much like recent commit Cam Hart , Sheffield has a terrific mentality after the catch. He is tough and a tackle breaker. That’s not something that is typically said about a player his size, but he is consistently fighting for more yards and can move the chains when he catches the football short of the sticks.
In general he plays a lot bigger than his weight class. He will go up and attack the football at its highest point as well.
I really love his compete level and this play where he goes over the top and keeps his feet after says a lot about him as a player.
What he needs to improve:
The one negative thing that stands out about Sheffield is that he is not a burner. He doesn’t have that extra gear where he is going to blow by people and if he can’t improve his long speed, he is going to have to rely on being able to win in traffic constantly.
He has very good, if not great, short area quickness, but is not a great route runner yet. He has the tools to be one. He’s just not there yet.
There is a bit of a tell with his head fakes that he needs to be aware of to change up what he is presenting to a defensive back more often. Del Alexander is going to have to preach that to him.
What’s his ceiling?
The player I think of when watching him is former Texas Tech and New England Patriots star Wes Welker. He too wasn’t the fastest guy in a race, but he became a dynamic route runner and was super tough after the catch.
It’s a lofty comparison, but Sheffield has the kind of traits where I could see him being a very productive player out of the slot. If his speed improves enough that he can become a vertical threat, then that would change my projection for him. All of a sudden his ceiling would jump up a couple of notches and he could become the top target on the team eventually.
Regardless of that, he can fill a role and become a big asset as a slot receiver and has the potential to be a clutch performer on 3rd downs. I guess we’ll see how serious this commitment is if he is going to take visits (and if Notre Dame will let him), but if he ends up in blue and gold, then he can definitely help make the offense better.