WEDDINGTON, N.C. — Scoring a touchdown in football can be a feeling like no other in sports. Not many know that feeling as well as Will Shipley.
“Every time you cross that line, it's an adrenaline rush," Shipley said.
The Weddington native estimates that between his collegiate career, high school days and Pop Warner games, he's scored over 200 touchdowns.
But the running back's first came in a youth game -- on defense -- a 108-yard scoop and score that left him breathless, and forever wanting to recreate that feeling.
“That’s when I really fell in love with scoring touchdowns and making plays," he said.
Soon, Shipley will be doing that in the National Football League.
For now, though, he’s taking some time to be home with family. Shipley spoke to WCNC Charlotte's Nick Carboni ahead of the biggest moment of his football life.
“It's a little period I get to spend time with family, especially with so much unknown in the future," he said. "Not sure which organization I'm going to get chosen to go to."
Shipley is coming off of one of the most prolific offensive careers in program history at Clemson, leaving campus with 33 total touchdowns, which lands him in the Top 10 in Tigers history.
Before that, he scored so much at Weddington (80 touchdowns in three seasons), that even the Carolina Panthers took notice of their young neighbor.
“I was watching the news and they kept talking about him," star running back Christian McCaffrey told reporters in 2019. "It’s pretty cool, he’s right down the street.”
Shipley is often compared to McCaffrey, and the All-Pro has reached out to Shipley to encourage him during the pre-draft process.
Shipley has shown his whole life he can find the end zone. He’s run for touchdowns, caught touchdowns, and even thrown for touchdowns.
But he’s out to prove to 32 teams ahead of the draft that he brings more than that.
"Showing that I can do it at any level and that I can compete with anybody and help teams win," he said. "Help organizations win.”
So, sometime this week, we should hear the name Will Shipley called out again. One we’ve heard many times before.
"It's going to be a dream come true," he said.