He was named honorable mention Associated Press (AP) All-State as a junior as he led the Rockets to a section title and 9–2 mark.

They finished their 5–4 season with a 32–8 loss to Farmington in the first round of the Section 1, Class 5A playoffs, where he was held to just 36 yards on 16 carries.

Sherels played for the Minnesota Golden Gophers, earning a scholarship after initially joining the football program as a walk-on.

On September 28, Sherels was released in order to make room on the practice squad for tight end John Nalbone.

This move, along with the signing of Frank Walker to the active squad, was made due to the season-ending injury sustained by starting cornerback Cedric Griffin, who was placed on injured reserve the same day.

Sherels spent 15 weeks on the Vikings’ practice squad and was activated for the final game of the season against the Detroit Lions.

On January 1, 2011, Sherels was elevated to the active 53-man squad after safety Madieu Williams was placed on injured reserve.

In the Vikings' Week 10 loss against the Green Bay Packers he posted his first career sack against Aaron Rodgers.

Sherels finished the season with 27 combined tackles, a sack and three passes defended on defense, while also returning 16 kicks for 445 yards (27.8 avg.)

Sherels finished the season with 9 total tackles and one pass defended as a cornerback, and 16 kick returns for 422 yards (26.4 avg.)

He started at cornerback for the NFL International Series game celebrated in London, England, against the Pittsburgh Steelers that resulted in the Vikings first win of the season.

In Week 3, he stepped in for injured starter Chris Cook and tied for the team-high with a career-best 10 tackles, including 9 solos and led the team with 4 passes defensed against the Cleveland Browns.

Sherels started three games during the season and posted a career-high 46 tackles (40 of them solo), 6 passes defended and a pick, while also returning 22 punts for 335 yards (15.2 avg.).

[7] In the season opener game against the San Francisco 49ers, he jumped on a field goal blocked by teammate Andrew Sendejo and returned it 44 yards.

On August 18 during a preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks, Sherels caused a pass interference late in the fourth quarter, but on the very next play, he picked off a pass from rookie quarterback Trevone Boykin and returned it 53 yards for a touchdown to help the Vikings win.

In Week 3 of the regular season with the Vikings trailing 10–2 to the Carolina Panthers, Sherels changed the course of the game with a 54-yard punt return for a touchdown late in the first quarter.