Exhibit 5.1

599 LEXINGTON AVENUE  |  NEW YORK  |  NY  |  10022-6069

WWW.SHEARMAN.COM  |  T +1.212.848.4000  |  F +1.212.848.7179

March 2, 2016

John Deere Receivables, Inc.

First Interstate Bank Building

1 East First Street

Reno, Nevada 89501

John Deere Capital Corporation

First Interstate Bank Building

1 East First Street

Reno, Nevada 89501

John Deere Owner Trust 2016

c/o Wells Fargo Delaware Trust Company, N.A.

919 North Market Street, Suite 1600

Wilmington, DE 19801

John Deere Owner Trust 2016

Asset Backed Certificates

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as special counsel for John Deere Receivables, Inc., a Nevada corporation (“JDRI”), John Deere Owner Trust 2016, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Trust” and, together with JDRI, being referred to herein collectively as the “Relevant Parties”), and John Deere Capital Corporation, a Delaware corporation (“JDCC”), in connection with (x) the purchase of (i) $229,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Trust’s Class A-1 0.64000% Asset Backed Notes (the “Class A-1 Notes”), (ii) $234,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Trust’s Class A-2 1.15% Asset Backed Notes (the “Class A-2 Notes”), (iii) $222,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Trust’s Class A-3 1.36% Asset Backed Notes (the “Class A-3 Notes”) and (iv) $71,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Trust’s Class A-4 1.64% Asset Backed Notes (the “Class A-4 Notes” and, together with the Class A-1 Notes, the Class A-2 Notes and the Class A-3 Notes, the “Notes”) pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement dated February 23, 2016 (the “Underwriting Agreement”) among JDRI, JDCC, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith

ABU DHABI    |    BEIJING    |    BRUSSELS    |    FRANKFURT    |    HONG KONG    |    LONDON    |    MILAN    |    NEW YORK    |    PALO ALTO

PARIS    |    ROME    |    SAN FRANCISCO    |    SÃO PAULO    |    SHANGHAI    |    SINGAPORE    |    TOKYO    |    TORONTO     |    WASHINGTON, DC

SHEARMAN & STERLING LLP IS A LIMITED LIABILITY PARTNERSHIP ORGANIZED IN THE UNITED STATES UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE, WHICH LAWS LIMIT THE PERSONAL LIABILITY OF PARTNERS.

Incorporated, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Mitsubishi UFJ Securities (USA), Inc., (collectively, the “Underwriters”) and (y) the issuance of $19,481,477 aggregate principal amount of the Trust’s Asset Backed Certificates (the “Certificates”). The Notes are to be issued under an Indenture dated as of March 2, 2016 (the “Indenture”) between the Trust and U.S. Bank National Association (the “Indenture Trustee”) and the Certificates are to be issued under a Trust Agreement dated as of March 1, 2016 (the “Trust Agreement”) between JDRI and Wells Fargo Delaware Trust Company, N.A. This opinion is furnished to you pursuant to Section 6(b)(1) of the Underwriting Agreement. Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Underwriting Agreement are used herein as therein defined; and terms defined in Articles 1, 8 and 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code as currently in effect in the State of New York are used herein as therein defined.

In that connection, we have reviewed originals or copies of the following documents:

The documents described in the foregoing clauses (a) through (h) are collectively referred to herein as the “Opinion Documents”.

We have also reviewed the following:

(i) A signed copy of the shelf registration statement on Form SF-3 (Registration Statement No. 333-208068) filed by JDRI under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on November 17, 2015, as amended by pre-effective amendment No. 1 thereto filed by JDRI on January 12, 2016, as further amended by pre-effective amendment No. 2 thereto filed by JDRI on February 2, 2016 and as further amended by pre-effective amendment No. 3 filed by JDRI on February 10, 2016 (such registration statement, as amended, including information deemed to be part thereof at the time of effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430D under the Securities Act and the documents incorporated by reference therein, being hereinafter referred to as the “Registration Statement”). The Registration Statement became effective under the Securities Act on February 12, 2016.

2

(iii) The preliminary prospectus dated February 18, 2016 relating to the offering of the Notes (the “Preliminary Prospectus”) in the form filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(h) under the Securities Act, including the documents incorporated by reference therein.

(iv) The ratings term sheet dated February 18, 2016 relating to the credit ratings expected to be received on the Notes, filed as an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433 under the Securities Act.

(v) The final term sheet dated February 23, 2016 relating to the Notes, filed as an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433 under the Securities Act.

(vi) The final prospectus dated February 23, 2016 relating to the Notes (the “Final Prospectus”) in the form filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, including the documents incorporated by reference therein.

(vii) Originals or copies of such other corporate records of the Relevant Parties and JDCC, certificates of public officials and of officers of the Relevant Parties and JDCC and agreements and other documents as we have deemed necessary as a basis for the opinion expressed below.

In our review of the Opinion Documents and other documents, we have assumed:

(A) The genuineness of all signatures.

(B) The authenticity of the originals of the documents submitted to us.

(C) The conformity to authentic originals of any documents submitted to us as copies.

(D) As to matters of fact, the truthfulness of the representations made in the Underwriting Agreement and the other Opinion Documents and in certificates of public officials and officers of the Relevant Parties and JDCC.

(E) That each of the Opinion Documents is the legal, valid and binding obligation of each party thereto, other than the Relevant Parties and JDCC, enforceable against each such party in accordance with its terms.

(F) That:

(1) Each of the Relevant Parties is an entity duly organized and validly existing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization.

3

(2) Each of the Relevant Parties has full power to execute, deliver and perform, and has duly authorized, executed and delivered, the Opinion Documents to which it is a party.

(3) The execution, delivery and performance by each of the Relevant Parties of the Opinion Documents to which it is a party do not and will not:

(4) That the execution, delivery and performance by the Relevant Parties and JDCC of the Opinion Documents to which it is a party do not and will not result in any conflict with or breach of any agreement or document binding on it.

(5) That, except with respect to Generally Applicable Law, no authorization, approval, consent or other action by, and no notice to or filing with, any governmental authority or regulatory body or any other third party is required for the due execution, delivery or performance by any Relevant Party of any Opinion Document to which it is a party or, if any such authorization, approval, consent, action, notice or filing is required, it has been duly obtained, taken, given or made and is in full force and effect.

(G) That the Notes have been duly authenticated by the Indenture Trustee in the manner described in its certificates required to be delivered to the Underwriters today.

We have not independently established the validity of the foregoing assumptions.

“Generally Applicable Law” means the federal law of the United States of America, and the law of the State of New York (including in each case the rules or regulations promulgated thereunder or pursuant thereto), that a New York lawyer exercising customary professional diligence would reasonably be expected to recognize as being applicable to the Relevant Party, the Opinion Documents or the transactions governed by the Opinion Documents. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing definition of Generally Applicable Law, the term “Generally Applicable Law” does not include any law, rule or regulation that is applicable to the Relevant Parties, the Opinion Documents or such transactions solely because such law, rule or regulation is part of a regulatory regime applicable to any party to any of the Opinion Documents or any of its affiliates due to the specific assets or business of such party or such affiliate.

Based upon the foregoing and upon such other investigation as we have deemed necessary and subject to the qualifications set forth below, we are of the opinion that the Notes, when authenticated by the Indenture Trustee in accordance with the Indenture and delivered to and paid for by the Underwriters pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, will be valid and binding obligations of the Trust, entitled to the benefits of the Indenture and enforceable in accordance with their terms.

4

Our opinion expressed above is subject to the following qualifications:

(a) Our opinion is subject to the effect of any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally (including without limitation all laws relating to fraudulent transfers).

(b) Our opinion is also subject to the effect of general principles of equity, including without limitation concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing (regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).

(c) Our opinion is limited to Generally Applicable Law.

This opinion letter speaks only as of the date hereof. We expressly disclaim any responsibility to advise you of any development or circumstance of any kind, including any change of law or fact, that may occur after the date of this opinion letter that might affect the opinion expressed herein.

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an Exhibit to the Report on Form 8-K dated the date hereof relating to the Trust and incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement and to the use of our name under the heading “Legal Opinions” in the Preliminary Prospectus and the Final Prospectus. In giving this consent, we do not hereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.

SKF/GAM/MK/JS/SGJ

LLJ

5