Colorado University Athletics
CU's Shenault Leaves Buffs Fans With Plenty Of Memories
December 03, 2019 | Football, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — Laviska Shenault Jr. said he first began to believe he could play in the National Football League when he was playing on his DeSoto (Texas) high school scout team.
"Players on the varsity would tell me, 'You're gonna be great one day, you're gonna be great,'" Shenault said Tuesday afternoon. "So that's from that point on I just kept working, kept working."
He did indeed keep working. It produced stardom at DeSoto, then All-America honors as a sophomore at Colorado and a standout junior season as well.
Tuesday, he moved one step closer to his dream of playing pro ball when he announced that he would forego his final year of eligibility with the Buffaloes and make himself eligible for the NFL Draft next April.
Shenault and CU Athletic Director Rick George appeared at an afternoon press conference to discuss Shenault's decision. George filled in for CU head coach Mel Tucker, who was on the road recruiting.
"This is an exciting day for Viska," George said. "He's a special young man and as good as he is on the field, he's an even better person. He's represented Colorado in an incredible way. The memories that he gave our fans the last three years have been significant. He's worked his entire life to get to this point. I'm proud of him and happy for him and I wish him the best. I don't watch a lot of NFL football but I know I'll be watching this guy every Sunday for a long time in what I hope is a great career for him."
Shenault was an electrifying and extremely versatile player in his career with the Buffs, while earning a reputation as a physical receiver who was almost impossible to tackle in a one-on-one situation.
Shenault gave CU fans a hint of what was to come when he scored a touchdown the first time he touched the ball in a game as a collegian, scooping up a fumbled punt and racing 55 yards to the end zone against Texas State as a true freshman.
He then burst onto the scene as a sophomore, earning second-team All-American honors by Pro Football Focus despite missing three games with injuries. He led the nation in receptions per game (9.6), and finished the year with 86 catches for 1,011 yards and six touchdowns. He also proved to be a weapon out of the backfield, finishing with 118 yards and five touchdowns rushing to become the only player in the nation in 2018 to have at least five touchdowns rushing and five receiving.
Shenault followed that up with another successful junior year, despite being the focal point of every opposing defense. He finished with 56 catches for 764 yards and four touchdowns, along with 161 yards and two touchdowns rushing.
He also proved to be a veritable first down machine in his career, earning a first down or a touchdown on 107 of 191 offensive touches — an astounding 56.0 percentage.
But he may be remembered most for his highlight reel moments. Along with his first career touchdown as a freshman, he had an 89-yard scoring catch the following season against Colorado State, then gathered in the 40-yard game winning touchdown a week later in a 33-28 win at Nebraska.
Other highlight moments included a 13-catch, four-touchdown effort (two receiving, two rushing) in a win over Arizona State in 2018 and 12 catches in a win over UCLA.
He added to those moments in the just-completed 2019 season. He had eight catches and two touchdowns (one receiving, one rushing) against Air Force, nine catches against USC and a critical 5-yard run on fourth down that kept alive a game-winning drive against Stanford.
But the play he may remember the most?
"I think the best memory is is probably going to be when I scored against USC (a 71-yard touchdown reception) and hugged Rick George in the end zone," Shenault said with a laugh. "That's probably legendary. You've probably never seen that before. That's definitely a good moment."
Even before the year began, the general belief was that Shenault would make himself available for the draft after his junior year. Tuesday's announcement was no surprise.
Still, he said, it was a joyous moment for his family.
"They were really excited," he said.
Shenault's final season in Boulder coincided with Mel Tucker's first year at the helm. It was an opportunity that Shenault said helped his career.
"He had a big impact on me just far as becoming a better person in general," Shenault said. "He brought the attitude, just like the DeSoto coaches did … I think the future is very bright. He's a very good coach. If you want to get some good coaching, some good work, it's definitely the place to be."
And, Shenault also had words of praise for the university and its impact on his life.
"Before I came to college, I wasn't a very outgoing person," he said. "I think it just made me more wise, it made me more outgoing. It just made me live better in a way."
Shenault hasn't yet decided where he will begin his training to prepare for the NFL Combine and individual workouts that are in his future. But he does believe he can show every scout for any team what they need to see.
"I want to show scouts that I can do anything," he said. "I can check every box, I can do anything. I just feel like I can do whatever whatever the task is."
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
