Rutgers football will be losing a piece of its quarterback room.
Ajani Sheppard, a multi-year backup for the Scarlet Knights, will enter the transfer portal in the final week of the spring window.
Sheppard was preparing for his third season with the program as a junior, and now will have a new home with three years of eligibility remaining after playing in five games over two years.
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A native of New Rochelle, New York, Sheppard was rated as a two-star pro-style quarterback in the class of 2023 at Iona Prep.
He originally committed to Old Dominion in June of 2022, but flipped to Rutgers five months later in November.
"I flipped to Rutgers last night," Sheppard told TKR at the time of his commitment. "It really came down to a dream I had since I was younger. I've always wanted to play [as a] Power Five quarterback and compete at the high level. I was given a chance to do so and I just knew I had to take it."
As a Scarlet Knight, Sheppard made his debut in 2023 in a win over Wagner, completing both of his pass attempts for 23 yards and attempting one rush for 10 yards.
In 2024, the 6-foot-2, 225-pound signal-caller saw action in four games, though he did not attempt a pass. He ran the ball three times for 20 yards, including a 20-yard carry in a loss to Wisconsin. He also saw action in wins over Howard and Akron to start the year, and was credited with a kickoff return in a Senior Day loss to then-No. 24 Illinois.
Sheppard's transfer narrows the team's quarterback room to four, with Athan Kaliakmanis returning as the starter and redshirt freshman AJ Surace likely holding onto the backup job. Incoming freshman Sean Ashenfelder and sophomore Rocco Rainone provide some depth at the game's most important position.
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