Shon Stephens Playing The Waiting Game Before Potential Move To Purdue
There was a time Shon Stephens thought the final chapter of his college football career had already been written. After all of the hardship he had endured, the Bakersfield, California native was almost ready to call it quits.
"I started questioning myself like, is this my dream? Is this what I'm supposed to be doing? Because it's not working out, and I'm facing all of that adversity," Stephens said.
Those thoughts came during what Stephens refers to as the "biggest hardship" of his life, which began in 2020. After a three-year stay at Bakersfield Community College, Stephens signed with Missouri Southern State in January 2020. However, his stint in Missouri was short-lived, as he spent just one semester with the Lions.
That summer, his mother suffered a heart attack, forcing Stephens to put football and school on the back burner while he returned home to help care for his family. His mother's health scare held Stephens out of football during the 2020 season.
The talented cornerback looked to return to football in 2021, but another setback forced him to sit out another season. Stephens committed to Penn State as a walk-on in August of 2021 after impressing at a Nittany Lions camp. As a result of being out of school for two years, he was deemed ineligible as he had yet to complete 80% of his intended degree.
During his time away from the game, Stephens worked hard to stay in shape for when an opportunity presented itself once again. He spent time in Bakersfield training with NFL veteran AJ Jefferson at A3 Sports Performance.
That hard work and commitment to the process paid off for Stephens when he finally returned to the college football world in 2022.
"Everything happens for a reason. And so I really just tried to stick to it as much as I could," Stephens said.
Stephens joined West Liberty University, a D-II school in West Virginia, prior to last season and produced a stellar 2022 campaign. The 6'0" cornerback led the nation with eight interceptions while having 14 pass breakups and making 37 tackles.
He also had a career night in early September, bringing down four interceptions in a win over Alderson Broaddus. It was the first time an NCAA D-II player had recorded four interceptions in a single game since 2017.
The special season at West Liberty earned Stephens a First Team Defense selection on the 2022 D2CCA All-America list. Stephens shared that despite his absence from the gridiron, his performance did not come as a surprise.
"I have a big chip on my shoulder as it is. Like, I had no choice but to get business done," Stephens said. "I came in with a plan and through prayer and grinding and having this chip on my shoulder, it really separated me."
While he is grateful for the time at West Liberty, which helped get his college football career back on track, Stephens is hungry for more. That desire led him to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal again in search of a home in what will be his final college season.
"I'm thankful for that. That really put me back on track. Now I'm here trying to get that year back," Stephens said.
Stephens entered the NCAA Transfer Portal in early December and saw an influx of offers and interest from numerous Power 5 schools. The D-II All-American visited Indiana, Virginia Tech, UCLA, and West Virginia before coming to Purdue over the weekend.
It was during that visit Stephens knew where he wanted the next chapter of his story to take place. West Lafayette, Indiana. The decision was more complex than X's and O's, however. It was the way Ryan Walters and the coaching staff embraced him that boosted his comfort level with the Boilermakers.
"They really showed a lot of love, showed that they not only care about me as a football player but as a person," Stephens said.
Joining the Boilermakers is not a done deal for Stephens, though. He is still awaiting word on whether his hardship waiver will be approved, giving him one more year of eligibility and his seventh year of college football.
He submitted the waiver last week and hopes for a resolution sometime next week, as the process can take up to two weeks before it is finalized. Stephens shared that he does not anticipate any issues with the waiver being approved, given his unique circumstances.
During his visit, Stephens also met with Purdue athletic director Mike Bobinski, who was inspired by his story. That meeting further proved Stephen's beliefs that West Lafayette would be the best destination for him.
"I gained so much respect from the staff and the people around Purdue because they like the way I carry myself as a person and as a leader," Stephens said.
The Division II All-American came away from his visit impressed by the Boilermakers' coaching staff, particularly Walters, defensive coordinator Kevin Kane, and cornerbacks coach Sam Carter.
Purdue's new defensive scheme puts a premium on the cornerback position, which was another selling point for the well-traveled Stephens. He believes he could come in and making an immediate impact with the Boilermakers' defense.
"They put their corners in the best positions to make plays," Stephens said. "The defensive line is going to put pressure on the quarterback and help you get interceptions also."
Stephens was looking for a place that didn't just want him, they needed him. The Boilermakers fit that billing, with a question mark surrounding the cornerback room as spring practice wraps up on Saturday.
Sixth-year senior Jamari Brown and Stanford transfer Salim Turner-Muhammad are projected to be fixtures in the lineup, but Ryan Walters and Kevin Kane were not shy about wanting to add depth to the group.
Both the head coach and defensive coordinator discussed the need several times throughout the spring and may have found their answer in the D-II transfer. Stephens would provide that much-needed depth in the secondary for Purdue and would likely become one of the team's top cornerbacks.