Imagine lining up 50 yards downfield with the sun glaring in your eyes.

The football is booted downfield, spiraling end over end as you try to catch it in your arms. As the ball is caught, 11 guys run full speed down the field with one goal in mind: to make you wish you would’ve waived that hand in the air for a fair catch.

However, there’s a little hole open to the left, but wait, maybe the right side looks well-blocked.

Down the right sidelines, past a defender, to midfield.

This is the life of NIU junior Dan Sheldon.

He’s got one man to beat. He waits for his blocker and is gone to the 15 … 10 … 5. Touchdown, Sheldon!

Instincts play a big role in punt returning, as there is little time to think about what to do and where to run. Last year, no returner in the nation did better than Sheldon (22.7 yards per return).

“You just gotta catch it and find the blocks and the holes,” Sheldon said. “A lot of times, I can’t even remember what happened ‘cause it just kinda happens and you just react. Then you look back and go, ‘What happened?’ and you watch the film and go, ‘Oh yeah, I remember getting spun.’ It’s just a lot of reacting and instincts.”

The junior returner also plays wide receiver for the Huskies, and already has made an impact with two touchdown catches this season. His first touchdown was the game-winner in overtime against Maryland.

NIU coach Joe Novak praises Sheldon for being tough enough to return punts.

“It’s a tough job,” Novak said. “You look up in the sky and have 11 crazy guys coming out there full speed wanting to get ahold of you and run right through you. That takes some courage. I’ve known some tough guys who weren’t good punt returners.”

In football, field position plays a big role in winning and losing, and Novak and the team take a lot of pride in their return game.

“Certainly, last year Danny had three touchdowns,” Novak said. “He had a couple others that went 70 yards and averaged 22 yards a return and led the country. That’s a tremendous weapon. That’s 22 yards of field position every time we started with the ball after he returned one.”

Sheldon, who stands at 5-foot-11 and weighs 174 pounds, always has been seen as a small guy and always had something to prove.

Huskie receiver P.J. Fleck used to return punts. Last year, when Fleck went down with an injury, in came Sheldon, but his impact wasn’t immediate. Novak had Fleck fair-catch punts even while injured because of his lack of confidence in his replacements. Then Sheldon stepped in.

Fleck, also under 6-foot, knows what it’s like to be looked at as the underdog.

“You need to prove stuff to yourself,” Fleck said. “It’s more of a mental game with yourself. Once you believe that you can play at the Division 1 level, no one is going to stop you. Danny runs a 4.3. I mean he’s a fast, fast kid. He uses that to his ability. He’s small, I’m small and it’s harder for bigger guys to tackle smaller guys, and we have to use that to our advantage.”

A few months ago, Fleck jokingly gave Sheldon the nickname of “Seabiscuit” after the small, underdog horse who overcame odds to succeed.

Sheldon, who seems to overcome the odds as a Huskie, takes the nickname in stride.

“He won. He’s a winner,” said Sheldon of Seabiscuit. “You can’t really complain when you’re named after something that’s winning and doing well.”