2024 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Ferris State CB Shon Stephens

From now until the 2023 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, all the way down to Day 3 selections, and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Ferris State CB Shon Stephens.

#7 SHON STEPHENS, CB, FERRIS STATE – (SENIOR) 5085, 180 POUNDS

MEASUREMENTS

College Gridiron Showcase Invite

*Pro Day Results

THE GOOD

— Possesses great speed and athleticism
— Has the leaping ability to contest jump balls
— Can run with receivers vertically down the field
— Has the aggressiveness to battle receivers for the football when in the air
— Plays physical at the line of scrimmage for his size and stays sticky in coverage
— Instinctive defender that reads the quarterback’s eyes to jump routes
— Certified ballhawk with 16 interceptions in the last two seasons
— Led the country in picks each of the last two years
— Becomes an offensive player with the ball in his hands, looking to score
— Most of his interceptions came against zone coverage, undercutting routes
— Willing tackler in run support that will wrap up ball carriers by their legs
— Dangerous kick returner that has the speed and vision to take it to the house

THE BAD

— Lacks ideal bulk at his height
— Could be smoother in his transition from a backpedal to opening up and running in coverage
— May struggle to make solo tackles against bigger ball carriers at the next level
— Size may get him pegged as a slot-only coverage defender
— Concerns surrounding the level of competition he played against at the D-II level

BIO

— Senior prospect from Bakersfield, CA
— Cousin to Pittsburgh Steelers CB Joey Porter Jr.
— Credits Uncle Joey Porter Sr. for helping him carve out a path to the NFL
— Not ranked by Rivals or any of the other top recruiting agencies coming out of high school
— Began college career at Bakersfield College, a JUCO in California, before transferring to Missouri Southern State
— Took the 2020 season off to help his mother recover from a heart attack
— Committed to Penn State as a walk-on in 2021, wasn’t granted immediate eligibility
— Went to West Liberty and started every game in 2022, posting 37 total tackles (34 solo), three tackles for loss, six pass breakups, and eight interceptions (returned two for touchdowns), also returned 30 kicks for 651 yards
— Committed to Purdue as a transfer but had a hardship waiver denied by the NCAA after taking care of his mother
— Transferred to Ferris State in 2023 and started 11 games and posted 25 tackles (19 solo), 1.5 tackles for loss, four pass breakups, and eight interceptions (one returned for a touchdown) also returned 11 kicks for 137 yards, including one score
— First-Team All-GLIAC (2023), First-Team All-MEC (2022), D-II First Team All American (2022-23)

TAPE BREAKDOWN

If you were to look for the top defensive back in college football when it comes to ball production the last two seasons, you may be surprised to know he wasn’t playing at the D-I level. That’s because Ferris State CB Shon Stephens was met with hardship, having to miss the 2020 and 2021 seasons after his mother suffered a heart attack to tend to her and help the family out, attempting to sign with various D-I schools, but wasn’t granted a hardship waiver by the NCAA. He instead played at West Liberty and Ferris State at the D-II level and balled out, notching 16 interceptions (eight in each season) while becoming a two-time All-American thanks to his play on the field.

When you pop in the tape on Stephens, you see an aggressive, opportunistic defensive back who has a nose for the football. He has great instincts that lead him to the football in zone coverage, being able to read the quarterback’s eyes when in off coverage while also having the quickness to break on the ball once thrown to challenge passes as well as undercut routes for interceptions. Take a look at the clips below of Stephens undercutting the route and stepping in front of the intended target to make the interception, returning it in the first clip to the house for the score.

Despite being 5-11, 173 pounds, Stephens plays much bigger than his listed size suggests and has the leaping ability to battle bigger receivers on the outside at the catch point. Take a look at the clips below as Stephens leaps into the air and comes down with the ball over the intended receiver for the pick, getting in good position to make the combative catch against the receiver for the turnover.

There are times in coverage where Stephens may be in off-coverage, closing back on the football, and the ball somehow finds him as if he has a ball magnet stuck inside his chest. It can be a combination of luck and instincts as Stephens has the ball land into his hands like in the clips below, bouncing off one intended target’s hands while ripping it out of another’s for the turnover.

Stephens also brings special teams play to the equation as a likely competent gunner on kick and punt coverage, but also an accomplished kick returner who has fielded 41 kickoffs for nearly 800 yards and a kick return touchdown against Davenport last season, displaying the combination of speed and vision in the open field to follow his blocks and evade the coverage team to put together strong returns with the ball in his hands.

CONCLUSION

Shon Stephens was dealt a bad hand by the NCAA, not receiving the benefit of the doubt for stepping away from football to help his mother, but has made his own way as he starred at the lower levels of college football in his pursuit to become an NFL defensive back. His size and lack of competition will make some teams skeptical of whether he can produce at the same level against Power 5 competition, but his film is hard to ignore, and multiple D-I schools wanted him if it weren’t for his hardship waiver getting declined. He likely will go late in the draft or be an UDFA, but he will get his shot to compete in training camp for a role as a likely nickel defender with the outside chance of potentially playing outside in the pros.

When coming up with a pro comparison for Stephens, Brent Grimes sticks out as a realistic comp as the former Falcon and Dolphin also played D-II ball at Shippensburg University and signed with Atlanta as an undrafted free agent in 2006. From there, Grimes went on to have a strong NFL career, playing 13 seasons as an undersized defensive back similar to Stephens, but he also had a nose for the football along with the elite athleticism to battle bigger receivers for the football like Stephens has shown he can do.

The Steelers were at Stephens’ Pro Day at Michigan State as well as having his cousin in the building along with his uncle, formerly on the staff who has been advising Stephens throughout this process, making it reasonable that they have some interest in the under-the-radar defensive back. They have a big need at nickel corner that still needs to be filled, and could look to take Stephens late in the draft or sign him as an UDFA to add to the room and have him compete for a spot on their 53-man roster.

Projection:  Day 3
Depot Draft Grade: 7.1 – Rotational Player (4th Round)
Games Watched: vs Northern Michigan (2023), at Davenport (2023) at Clarion University (2022), vs Alderson Broaddus (2022)