Purdue safety Antonio Stevens' head was spinning as he was carted off the field.

"I didn't know what was next for me. I was just scared, but I didn't really know what to think," Stevens said.

Stevens was covering a kickoff against Nebraska after an 89-yard touchdown catch by David Bell. The 6'2" safety went down away from the ball, holding his left leg in agony. Stevens remained on the turf inside Ross-Ade Stadium for several minutes before being carted off the field, not knowing what the future would hold.

The diagnosis was grim. Stevens shared that he suffered a dislocated knee, torn ACL, torn LCL, torn MCL, and ripped a piece of his hamstring off during the play. What was next for him was a pair of surgeries and a grueling rehabilitation process that would last over a year.

Up to that point, 2020 was kind to the true freshman from Nashville, Tennessee. Stevens appeared in five games during the COVID-19 shortened season, serving as a backup in the secondary and seeing action on special teams. The momentum Stevens built during his debut season in West Lafayette came to a screeching halt after the devastating injury.

The path back to health was filled with frustration, as it took Stevens about two months to learn how to walk again. The process also included going in for rehab three times a day, every single day, for several months. That time period was challenging for Stevens, but he found positives in the journey.

"It was real difficult. I mean, it was definitely a grind, for sure. That was one of the toughest things that I've ever went through in my life. A lot of adversity, but I'm really thankful for it. It helped me grow as a man," Stevens said.

Stevens was sidelined for all of 2021 as he continued progressing in his long and winding road back to the gridiron. All of the long hours in the training room and hard work during rehab paid off as he returned to the field for Purdue in 2022. Stevens played in 13 games for the Boilermakers last season, recording eight total tackles as a reserve behind the likes of Sanoussi Kane and Cam Allen.

During what Stevens refers to as "one of the toughest" battles he'd ever gone through, the Tennessee native leaned on a few things to help get him through the grind. He shared that his relationship with God was a big motivator, along with the love and support of his mother.

A fellow Boilermaker safety also made sure Stevens was in good spirits during his rehab process.

"Sanoussi Kane. That's my dog, my brother. He just uplifted me, and you know, just always keeps my head on straight, for sure," Stevens said.

The brutal injury and subsequent rehabilitation process provided Stevens with an opportunity to look within himself. The soon-to-be redshirt junior has a new outlook on football and is using it to become a standout for the Boilermakers this spring.

"I took so many things for granted," Stevens said. "I didn't really know how much I loved the game until it was taken away from me. You know, every day I come out here, I go as hard as I can --- I'm really grateful to be here, really grateful to be on this team, really grateful to be doing what I love."

As Purdue began spring practice for the first time under head coach Ryan Walters last month, many viewed Stevens as just another depth piece in the secondary. That quickly changed when the Boilermakers hit the practice field. The rising safety has been one of the standouts over the last month, according to defensive coordinator Kevin Kane.

"I'm really happy with where he's at on the back end — seeing him from the bowl prep to winter conditioning to now. I feel really good about him," Kane said last week.

Stevens' growth since Kane joined Walters' staff in December has been a product of the work the Boilermaker defender has put in both on and off the field.

The supercharged Stevens took it upon himself to get put in the extra work in the weight room and meet one-on-one with safeties coach Grant O'Brien. Kane is seeing that hard work pay off and is pleased with how Stevens has performed.

"How he took advantage of all the off-season workouts whether he was by himself or he got together with Coach OB to ask questions or study film. He's just kind of taken the reins on that stuff," Kane said.

Not only has Stevens risen to the occasion on the practice field, but his confidence appears to be at an all-time high in Kane's eyes. The newfound success gives the Purdue defensive coordinator some optimism about what his pupil can do once the regular season kicks off in September.

"I think his technique has gotten a lot better, and just his overall confidence on the field has gotten a lot better," Kane said. "Excited to see what he can do in the fall."

The Boilermakers have a pair of starting safeties returning in 2023 as Sanoussi Kane and Cam Allen are set to headline the group, but Stevens has emerged as the top reserve behind the incumbent starters. He identifies himself as a versatile defensive back that can help the Boilermakers' secondary in a variety of ways.

"I see myself doing whatever they need me to do, honestly. I'm a real versatile guy, you know, I'm big, I can run, I can hit hard, I can cover," Stevens said. "Right now, I'm playing boundary safety, but wherever they put me in I feel like I'll ball out there."

While Kane and Allen figure to man the back end for Purdue in 2023, the Boilermakers have another safety that is ready to contribute. Stevens has established himself as the top defensive back in the second unit that could see an increased role heading into the fall. Fellow defensive backs Anthony Brown, Ryan Brandt, Dillon Theineman and others are expected to fight for additional playing time as well.

It has been a long and challenging journey for Stevens to make it to this position, but the pieces are falling in place for the redshirt junior to have an impact for the Boilermakers moving forward.

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