Philly Leader

Following a successful tryout at the Rookie Minicamp, the Philadelphia Eagles have signed cornerback Shon Stephens. Stephens, standing 5-foot-8 and weighing 173 pounds, led the nation with 16 interceptions over the past two seasons. He recorded eight interceptions last season for Ferris State and another eight in 2022 while playing for West Liberty.

In 2023, Stephens was recognized as the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Defensive Back of the Year and earned a spot on the first-team All-GLIAC for his performance with Ferris State, a Division II team. He was also a finalist for the Cliff Harris Award, which is given to the top defensive player from a small college.

Similar to Eagles' first-round pick Quinyon Mitchell, Stephens achieved a four-interception game on September 9, 2022, against Alderson Broaddus. That year, he was named to the first-team All-Mountain East Conference.

Stephens caught scouts' attention during Michigan State's Pro Day on March 13. His performance included a 4.38-second time in the 40-yard dash, which would have ranked fifth among cornerbacks at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine. Additionally, his 6.99-second time in the 3-cone drill would have placed him fourth among cornerbacks.

His collegiate journey began at Bakersfield College in 2017 but was interrupted when he took time off to care for his mother following her heart attack in 2020.

Stephens has family ties to professional football; he is related to Joey Porter Sr., who played in the NFL for thirteen years, and Joey Porter Jr., a cornerback for the Steelers and their first-round pick in 2022.