Sterling Shepard figures to be one of the starting receivers on the field this fall when the Giants commence their 92nd season of NFL play. Three years of a losing record and four years out of the playoffs, the Football Giants are hoping the rookie pass catcher can propel their offense into even greater production that it did in 2015, when they fielded the No. 8 overall unit.

The second round selection has lived up to all expectations in practice so far this spring and will resume the heavy load he’s been getting with the first team when training camp begins in July. Naturally quick, even-tempered and intelligent, with the athleticism to match, Shepard makes remarkably few mistakes; and, when he does, as head coach Ben McAdoo was thrilled to learn, he overcomes them almost immediately.

When fleshing out the statistics behind Shepard’s production in college, Pro Football Focus found a lot to like.

The analytics site graded Shepard as the second-best wide receiver in the college game last season, behind only TCU’s Josh Doctson, and ranked his blocking in the top-10; Shepard, however, is presumed to be far better prepared for the professional game. The Giants may play him out of the slot position, from where he ran almost 70 percent of his plays while at Oklahoma. Interestingly, the 3.17 yards he accrued per every route he ran at school would have ranked first overall in pro football in the receiving category last season. Notably, he would have surpassed current teammates Odell Beckham Jr., who finished with 3.03, the NFL’s best.

But it is in one particular category in which Shepard should aid the Giants to dramatic effect.

He almost never drops the football.

In 2015, only six quarterbacks were most productive overall than Eli Manning and the 35 year old compiled a career-high 35 touchdown passes. But one thing also plagued him more than almost every other passer: drops. Manning watched as 37 of his pass attempts were caught then lost, the third-most in football. By PFF’s calculations, those drops cost the Giants 290 total yards.

By comparison, Shepard had four drops -- in as many seasons, in 90 catchable targets.

In traffic, Shepard is among the slipperiest players in his class. His excellent footwork and nimbleness, equally on display in traffic near the line as in space downfield, got him out of 12 would-be tackles last season alone; the Giants, in turn, recorded 11 missed tackles. Eight of those were evaded by Rueben Randle, whose 797 yards and eight touchdowns are now with the Eagles.

But Shepard’s most endearing quality to the Giants’ offense may not come on a stat sheet, but in the new, wide open pastures he’ll inevitably set up for Beckham. With opposing defenses now having to assign blockers to stop the nifty rookie, the Giants’ No. 1, and the NFL’s fifth-most productive wide receiver overall last season, will have even more space in which to perform his magic.

The Giants’ offense is facing a season of tremendous hope. Now, if only their defense can make it worthwhile.