Getty Brandon Stephens playing for SMU.
The Baltimore Ravens grabbed another playmaker for their defense in the third-round of the 2021 NFL Draft in cornerback Brandon Stephens from SMU, and Stephens comes to the team with some major support.
Interestingly enough, Stephens will join the squad and will have one of his former teammates in tow to help the transition to the NFL. It was just a year ago that the Ravens drafted wideout James Proche, and he took time out to give his new teammate a major boost upon his selection to the team.
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As Proche said, the Ravens are getting a great player and a great person for the team with the addition of Stephens to the roster. The wideout would know given they were teammates and friends in college.
we got a GREAT ball player even better dude.
For his part, Stephens admitted that he was just excited to be joining Proche, his former teammate and friend.
He said:
“James, that’s my boy. We were texting throughout the draft and I just texted him let’s go. That’s my boy. We competed every practice at SMU and we just tried to make each other better. So, just to team up back with him, one of my brothers, is an amazing feeling.”
If Proche can vouch for his teammate, it seems as if there will be extra chemistry for the Ravens out of this pick, which is nice to see.
Stephens’ Stats and Highlights
A transfer from UCLA, Stephens racked up 92 tackles in his college career and 1 interception to go with 22 passes defensed. He’s a sticky cornerback who can muck up lanes and play very well against his man. While the interception numbers are not huge, Stephens is a gritty player and someone who should have an easy fit along the team’s defensive backfield.
Here’s a look at some of his highlights:
Obviously, Stephens is going to be a key player for the Ravens considering his ability to frustrate opposing wideouts and lock down passing attacks. That will be huge for him in terms of assets when coming to the NFL, and Proche would likely know all about that given his time facing off against him in college.
Ravens Day 2 Draft Recap
The Ravens had a pretty confident day two of the NFL Draft, picking up guard Ben Cleveland along with Stephens for their defensive backfield. Cleveland is a unique character in addition to a player the team has targeted for a long time, so to get him was likely exciting for the Ravens. Stephens comes in and helps fill a need at cornerback for the team, which is good news considering he team is always looking for help at the spot.
Going into the final day of the draft, the Ravens could be looking to get help on the defensive front, at offensive tackle and perhaps even more help at wideout considering the depth of the position.
For now, though, they will be very thrilled with what Stephens brings to the mix and what he can do.
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