The St. Louis Battlehawks signed wide receiver Darrius Shepherd for the 2024 season on Friday.
Darrius Shepherd is five foot ten and weighs 186 pounds. The 28-year-old from Blue Springs, Missouri, made 48 catches for 519 yards (10.8 YPC), six touchdowns, and 37 kick returns for 907 yards in ten games for the St. Louis Battlehawks in 2023.
He was named to the All-XFL Team, and XFL Special Teams Player of the Year after the season. The Battlehawks drafted Shepherd in the fifth round (34th pick) of the 2023 XFL Draft.
After the season, Shepherd signed with the Los Angeles Chargers and played one preseason game with one catch for minus-one yard against the San Francisco 49ers.
Before St. Louis, Shepherd signed with the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in 2019. He played two seasons in Green Bay with six catches for 47 yards, 20 kick returns for 374 yards, and three carries for minus-three yards in 14 games. After Green Bay, he spent time with the Kansas City Chiefs, Arizona Cardinals, Minnesota Vikings, and Pittsburgh Steelers.
The New Jersey Generals (USFL) drafted Shepherd in the 15th round (124th pick) of the 2022 USFL Draft. In 2022, Shepherd made 27 catches for 323 yards and one touchdown in eight games. In the 2022 North Division Championship game against the Philadelphia Stars, he made five catches for 91 yards. After the season, Shepherd signed with the Denver Broncos playing three preseason games making six catches for 57 yards.
Collegiately, Shepherd played four seasons at North Dakota State (2015-18) making 188 catches for 2,841 yards, 20 touchdowns, 31 carries for 219 yards, one touchdown, one kick return for two yards, 44 punt returns for 578 yards, and one touchdown in 57 games for the Bisons. He was named First Team All-MVC as a wide receiver and kick returner in 2018 and is a three-time FCS champion.
