The versatile receiver saw the silver lining at the NFL Combine after seeing a dark cloud hover over his 2007 campaign. The preseason All-American split end was on the field for just three games during his senior year due to a knee injury, missing most of the Northeastern clash after originally getting hurt in the second game, missing the next four contests. He attempted to return vs. Rhode Island, but left after 10 plays when he was re-injured. Still, when he received his Combine invitation, he became the first Spider to attend that event since linebacker Shawn Barber in 1998.

The 2007 season was beginning to look like another banner season before he suffered a partial posterior cruciate ligament tear. He opened the year by hauling in 12 passes for 107 yards vs. Vanderbilt. He would finish his career as the school's second-leading receiver with 160 receptions, as he also placed sixth on the Spiders' all-time record list with 1,930 yards receiving and tied for eighth with 13 touchdown grabs.

Shields earned All-Conference honors after leading Gonzaga College High School to its first conference championship under head coach Kenny Lucas in 2002. He made 26 receptions for 350 yards and five touchdowns as a senior. He also recorded 22 tackles, four pass break-ups and one interception for the conference's top-ranked defense. In addition to football, he also helped lead the track team to a conference title.

After a brief early season appearance at Richmond in 2003, Shields spent the rest of the year on the sidelines. He played in 10 games, starting three contests at flanker in 2004, sitting out the William & Mary clash with back spasms. He caught 30 passes for 320 yards (10.7 avg) and four touchdowns. He also blocked a kick and recorded a solo tackle on special teams.

Shields became the third player in school history to catch more than 60 passes in a season, hauling in 62 throws for 842 yards (13.6 avg) and four touchdowns in 2005. His 14-catch performance vs. Hofstra rank third on the school's single-game record list. He also posted three solo tackles and gained 13 yards on a kickoff return. He started 11 of 3 games as a sophomore, earning 10 of those starts at flanker and vs. Vanderbilt as a split end.

In 2006, Shields earned All-Atlantic Ten Conference second-team honors. He shifted to split end, coming up with 54 catches for 643 yards (11.9 avg) and five touchdowns. He recorded five tackles (4 solos) and gained 248 yards on 12 kickoff returns (20.7 avg). As a senior, he snatched 14 passes for 125 yards (8.9 avg) in the three games he played in.

Shields started 27 of 37 games at Richmond, ranking second in school history with 160 receptions, gaining 1,930 yards (12.1 avg) with 13 touchdowns. He totaled 10 yards on four carries (2.5 avg) and 261 yards on 13 kickoff returns (20.1 avg). He collected nine tackles (8 solos) and amassed 2,201 all-purpose yards, an average of 59.5 yards per game.

Positives: Has a lean, angular frame with good muscle tone and is much stronger than his appearance indicates … Possesses a good combination of quickness and strength … Willing backside blocker with good body control moving over the middle … Seems more comfortable working in the short area and has issues tracking the ball on long patterns … Not sudden off the snap, but builds to top speed in a hurry … Has the body control, balance and footwork to stem and leverage a defender, doing a nice job of setting up his short-area routes … Best when settling underneath, as he uses his hands well to swat away defenders and shield the ball from defenders … Alert to the sideline and works hard to keep his feet going for the throws on the perimeter … Shows just adequate pop coming out of his cuts, but has a knack for getting open in the short area by executing decent double moves (has problems on long routes) … Seems more comfortable getting to the ball on intermediate and controlled routes … Willing to sacrifice his body to get to the ball in a crowd … Knows how to find the soft spot in the zone and has the body control to make the tough catches in traffic … Attacks the ball aggressively and shows the leg drive to break tackles with the body lean to gain extra yardage falling forward … Works hard to face up to defenders when blocking for the running game … Has confidence using his stiff arm in attempts to separate … Demonstrates good arm extension blocking from the backside and is very effective taking angles and going low in his pads to cut block.

Negatives: Has a knee injury that limited him to just three games in 2007 and further medical evaluation is needed … Best when catching the ball in stride, as despite his vertical jump, he does not time his leaps well or extend for the ball at its high point … Has the valid speed to be a deep threat, but has dropped a lot of balls on those routes due to an inability to track the ball in flight (struggles to turn his head and look the ball in over his outside shoulder) … Has had concentration issues that have led to drops of easily catchable throws … Needs more than a few reps to retain plays and is not capable of digesting a complicated playbook … Has good timed speed, but fails to use it, as he lacks the sudden burst you look for coming off the snap … Gets caught up in the jam, as he shows too much wasted arm motion in attempts to get a clean release … Has good straight-line speed, but needs to sink his pads better in order to make crisp cuts out of his breaks … Does not show the strong burst needed to separate from defenders after the catch … Has to improve his hand-eye coordination (especially on post patterns) and while he has strength to power through arm tackles, he would be much more effective in his attempts to escape if he can develop much better head fakes and open his hips better … Quick off the line, but needs to show better crispness in and out of his breaks … Lets the ball absorb into his body too much, lacking the soft, natural hands needed to extend, pluck and snatch away from his frame … Makes plays with his athletic ability, not field savvy.

Compares To: BRANDON LLOYD-Chicago … Shields has good athletic ability, but his concentration and poor hand-eye coordination make him a bit of a liability on long routes. He struggles to look the ball in over his outside shoulder and also is not the most instinctive route runner. He lacks elusiveness after the catch, but uses his strength well to power through arm tackles. He needs to show in the coming months that his knee problems are in the past, if he hopes to generate much draft interest.

2004: Sat out the William & Mary game (11/20) with a back strain.

2006: Did not play vs. New Hampshire (10/07) due to back spasms.

2007: Suffered a knee posterior cruciate ligament partial tear vs. Northeastern (9/08), missing the next four games vs. Bucknell, New Hampshire, Towson and Stony Brook … Returned vs. Rhode Island (10/20), but again suffered a PCL partial tear after playing in 10 snaps and was shut down for the final seven contests.

Campus: 4.49 in the 40-yard dash … Bench pressed 225 pounds 17 times … 332-pound power clean … 415-pound squat … 38-inch vertical jump … 31 7/8-inch arm length … 9 7/8-inch hands … Right-handed … 14/25 Wonderlic score.

Combine: 4.44 in the 40-yard dash … 1.51 10-yard dash … 2.56 20-yard dash … 3.96 20-yard shuttle … 10.87 60-yard shuttle … 6.67 three-cone drill … 37 ½-inch vertical jump … 10'8" broad jump … Bench pressed 225 pounds 19 times.

Earned All-Conference honors after leading his team to its first conference championship under head coach Kenny Lucas in 2002 … Made 26 receptions for 350 yards and five touchdowns as a senior … Recorded 22 tackles, four pass break-ups and one interception for the Conference's top-ranked defense … Also helped lead the track team to a conference title.

Son of Beverly and Bartie Shields … Born July 10, 1985.