Temple University Athletics
2026 Football Roster
Roster
TE
/ Football
WR
/ Football
SAF
/ Football
RB
/ Football
P
/ Football
LB
/ Football
WR
/ Football
OLB
/ Football
QB
/ Football
CB
/ Football
WR
/ Football
LB
/ Football
CB
/ Football
QB
/ Football
CB
/ Football
QB
/ Football
LB
/ Football
WR
/ Football
SAF
/ Football
QB
/ Football
WR
/ Football
SAF
/ Football
TE
/ Football
QB
/ Football
SAF
/ Football
RB
/ Football
CB
/ Football
CB
/ Football
RB
/ Football
SAF
/ Football
RB
/ Football
RB
/ Football
SAF
/ Football
SAF
/ Football
SAF
/ Football
RB
/ Football
RB
/ Football
CB
/ Football
CB
/ Football
SAF
/ Football
RB
/ Football
LB
/ Football
TE
/ Football
CB
/ Football
CB
/ Football
K/P
/ Football
TE
/ Football
LB
/ Football
DL
/ Football
CB
/ Football
LB
/ Football
SAF
/ Football
SAF
/ Football
SAF
/ Football
LB
/ Football
TE
/ Football
SAF
/ Football
LB
/ Football
LB
/ Football
TE
/ Football
SAF
/ Football
LS
/ Football
DL
/ Football
OLB
/ Football
OL
/ Football
DL
/ Football
OL
/ Football
DL
/ Football
LB
/ Football
LB
/ Football
OL
/ Football
OLB
/ Football
OL
/ Football
OLB
/ Football
OL
/ Football
OLB
/ Football
OL
/ Football
DL
/ Football
OL
/ Football
DL
/ Football
OL
/ Football
OL
/ Football
OL
/ Football
OL
/ Football
OL
/ Football
DL
/ Football
OL
/ Football
OL
/ Football
OL
/ Football
OL
/ Football
OL
/ Football
OL
/ Football
WR
/ Football
WR
/ Football
WR
/ Football
WR
/ Football
TE
/ Football
WR
/ Football
WR
/ Football
WR
/ Football
DL
/ Football
WR
/ Football
WR
/ Football
K
/ Football
DL
/ Football
P
/ Football
DL
/ Football
DL
/ Football
DL
/ Football
DL
/ Football
DL
/ Football
DL
/ Football
LS
/ Football
DL
/ Football
K
/ Football
DL
/ Football
Jersey Number 13
Ajani Sheppard
- Position:
- Quarterback
- Height:
- 6-2
- Weight:
- 230
- Class:
- Senior
- Hometown:
- Bronx, N.Y.
- High School:
- Iona Prep
Ajani Sheppard's game-by-game stats
2026 (Redshirt Junior, Temple): Transferred to Temple in January ... is competing for the starting quarterback position with Jaxon Smolik ... split time at quarterback with Smolik during season-opening win vs Rhode Island ... it was his first game action at quarterback since 2023 while at Rutgers ... threw for a career-high 85 yards and rushed for a career-high 23 yards in the win ... rushed for his first career touchdown vs. Penn State ... replaced Jaxon Smolik following the first series at Toledo and had a career game logging highs in attempts (22), completions (12), yards (164), passing touchdowns (3) rushing yards (66) and total touchdowns (4) ... named an honorable mention for the American Conference Week 3 weekly football honors ... became the first Temple quarterback since Devin Scott in 1998 to throw two touchdown passes of at least 60 yards (67 and 78) in the same game vs Army.
2023 (Freshman, Rutgers): Played in one game ... completed both passing attempts for 23 yards and added a 10-yard carry in collegiate debut against Wagner.
High School: Played quarterback at Iona Prep for head coach Joe Spagnola … led the Gaels to a 9-3 record, a 6-1 mark in Catholic AAA league action and a NYCCHSFL AAA title game appearance as a senior in 2022 … finished senior season 150-of-242 for 2,393 yards and 21 touchdowns and added 142 carries for 1,291 yards and 11 scores on the ground … threw for 2,357 yards and 22 touchdowns and rushed for 1,041 yards and 16 scores as a junior … CHSFL first team all-state Class AA Co-Player of the Year by the New York Sportswriters Association as a junior … No. 6 overall prospect in New York by ESPN … first Power 5 quarterback signee from Westchester County in 28 years.
Personal: Born Ajani Sheppard.
2026 (Redshirt Junior, Temple): Transferred to Temple in January ... is competing for the starting quarterback position with Jaxon Smolik ... split time at quarterback with Smolik during season-opening win vs Rhode Island ... it was his first game action at quarterback since 2023 while at Rutgers ... threw for a career-high 85 yards and rushed for a career-high 23 yards in the win ... rushed for his first career touchdown vs. Penn State ... replaced Jaxon Smolik following the first series at Toledo and had a career game logging highs in attempts (22), completions (12), yards (164), passing touchdowns (3) rushing yards (66) and total touchdowns (4) ... named an honorable mention for the American Conference Week 3 weekly football honors ... became the first Temple quarterback since Devin Scott in 1998 to throw two touchdown passes of at least 60 yards (67 and 78) in the same game vs Army.
2025 (Redshirt Sophomore, Washington State): Did not appear in a game.
2024 (Redshirt Freshman, Rutgers): Played in four games ... rushed three times for 24 yards ... contributed a 20-yard rush against Wisconsin ... took snaps versus Akron and Howard .2023 (Freshman, Rutgers): Played in one game ... completed both passing attempts for 23 yards and added a 10-yard carry in collegiate debut against Wagner.
High School: Played quarterback at Iona Prep for head coach Joe Spagnola … led the Gaels to a 9-3 record, a 6-1 mark in Catholic AAA league action and a NYCCHSFL AAA title game appearance as a senior in 2022 … finished senior season 150-of-242 for 2,393 yards and 21 touchdowns and added 142 carries for 1,291 yards and 11 scores on the ground … threw for 2,357 yards and 22 touchdowns and rushed for 1,041 yards and 16 scores as a junior … CHSFL first team all-state Class AA Co-Player of the Year by the New York Sportswriters Association as a junior … No. 6 overall prospect in New York by ESPN … first Power 5 quarterback signee from Westchester County in 28 years.
Personal: Born Ajani Sheppard.
Monday, September 28
Monday, September 28
Monday, September 28
Friday, September 25
