Former Ferris DB Shon Stephens is ready for the next level

‘Whoever picks me up, I gotta give them my all’

BIG RAPIDS — Shon Stephens has had a rollercoaster ride to get to this point in his career - the defensive back has played for multiple schools, ultimately ending his college career with the Ferris State Bulldogs.

In 2020 Stephens was at Missouri Southern State but left so that he could take care of his mother, who had a heart attack.

“So I got a complete release from the school to help with my mom, and I was there with my mom for like a year and a half,” said Stephens. “In July, my uncle Joey called me to come to camp at Penn State, and I went up there. I was MVP of the camp and they wanted me to walk on immediately. That wasn’t able to work because I wasn’t 80% towards my degree when I was trying to go to Penn State in 2021.”

The NCAA denied a waiver for Stephens to play D1 football, so he then found a home at West Liberty, a D2 school, before transferring to Ferris State.

“I wasn’t trying to, you know, play tricks on the NCAA or nothing. I was just trying to get that year back and maximize my potential, play at the highest level that I can. But I wouldn’t take anything back or change anything, you know, I had to do what I had to do for my mom regardless,” Stephens said.

Stephens had eight interceptions last season, including one that was returned for a pick six, as well as a kickoff return for a touchdown. Defensive talent might run in the family, as his uncle is Joey Porter and cousin is Joey Porter Jr.

Stephens now is ready to show the NFL what he can do.

“I’m really prepared for this. This is what I’ve been doing all my life. So I’m kind of numb to the feeling. But I want to know which team is going to pick me up, and whoever picks me up, you know, like I got to give them my all,” said Stephens.