JaCoby Stevens
{{Short description|American football player (born 1998)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = JaCoby Stevens
| image = SELU LSU 9718 102.jpg
| caption = Stevens with the LSU Tigers, 2018
| current_team =LSU Tigers
| number =
| position = Recruiting specialist
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1998|6|19}}
| birth_place = Murfreesboro, Tennessee, U.S.
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 1
| weight_lb = 212
| high_school = Oakland
(Murfreesboro, Tennessee)
| college = LSU (2017–2020)
| draftyear = 2021
| draftround = 6
| draftpick = 224
| pastteams =
- Philadelphia Eagles ({{NFL Year|2021}})
| status =
| highlights =
- CFP national champion (2019)
- Second-team All-SEC (2019)
| statlabel1 = Total tackles
| statvalue1 = 3
| pfr = S/StevJa00
|pastexecutive=* LSU (2023–present)
Recruiting specialist}}
JaCoby Stevens (born June 19, 1998) is an American former professional football linebacker. He played college football at LSU, where he is now a recruiting specialist.
Early life
Stevens grew up in Murfreesboro, Tennessee and attended The Ensworth School before transferring to Oakland High School after his freshman year.{{Cite magazine |last=West |first=Glen |date=September 17, 2019 |title=For JaCoby Stevens and Jacob Phillips, Saturday isn't just another SEC game, it's a homecoming |url=https://www.si.com/college/lsu/football/tennessee-natives-excited-to-play-in-front-of-family-friends |magazine=SI.com}}{{Cite web |last=Dellenger |first=Ross |date=March 11, 2017 |title='Damn, we're in Louisiana!': JaCoby Stevens, family reunited with his enrollment at LSU |url=https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/sports/lsu/article_96a6366e-05da-11e7-9b25-e753b9db08d3.html |website=The Advocate}} Stevens played both wide receiver and defensive back for Oakland and was also a member of the basketball team. As a junior, he recorded 84 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, six interceptions, two fumbles recovered and scored two defensive touchdowns on defense and caught 32 passes for 806 yards with 11 touchdowns and had three rushing touchdowns on offense.{{Cite web |last=Kreager |first=Steve |date=August 7, 2016 |title=5 things about Oakland's JaCoby Stevens, who's committing Monday |url=https://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/high-school/2016/08/07/5-things-oaklands-jacoby-stevens-whos-committing-monday/88272186/ |website=The Tennessean}} As a senior, he recorded 61 tackles with 9 interceptions on defense with 34 receptions for 689 yards and 12 touchdowns on offense and was named Tennessee's Mr. Football.{{Cite web |last=Spiegelman |first=Sam |date=August 2, 2017 |title=LSU mailbag: JaCoby Stevens to WR, Maea Teuhema's suspension, media block |url=https://www.ajc.com/sports/college/lsu-mailbag-jacoby-stevens-maea-teuhema-suspension-media-block/m85MU30DQwbUTR3SUnT1AP/ |website=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution |access-date=April 11, 2020 |archive-date=April 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200411220504/https://www.ajc.com/sports/college/lsu-mailbag-jacoby-stevens-maea-teuhema-suspension-media-block/m85MU30DQwbUTR3SUnT1AP/ |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web |last=Joyce |first=Cecil |date=November 28, 2016 |title=Oakland's JaCoby Stevens, Siegel's Jacob Smith win Tennessee Titans Mr. Football awards |url=https://www.dnj.com/story/sports/high-school/2016/11/28/mr-football/94530042/ |website=The Daily News Journal}} Stevens was rated a five-star recruit and initially committed to play college football at LSU over offers from Tennessee, Alabama, Auburn and Georgia.{{Cite web |date=September 23, 2015 |title=Oakland's JaCoby Stevens commits to LSU |url=https://www.dnj.com/story/sports/high-school/2015/09/23/oakland-high-jacoby-stevens-commits-to-lsu/72702918/ |website=The Daily News Journal}} He decommitted during his senior season after the team fired head coach Les Miles, but ultimately re-committed.{{Cite web |date=November 25, 2015 |title=Elite 2017 Tennessee prospect decommits from LSU |url=https://www.foxsports.com/college-football/story/lsu-tigers-tennessee-volunteers-jacoby-stevens-decommits-112515 |website=Fox Sports}}
College career
Stevens played both safety and wide receiver as a true freshman, appearing in six games with one start at wide receiver and catching two passes for 32 yards.{{Cite web |last=Embody |first=Billy |date=October 4, 2017 |title=Jacoby Stevens' move to safety likely permanent |url=https://247sports.com/college/lsu/Article/Jacoby-Stevens-move-back-to-safety-likely-permanent-for-former-five-star-recruit-108411390/ |website=247Sports.com}} Stevens moved permanently to safety before his sophomore year and started the last four games of the season, recording 35 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and an interception with five passes broken up.{{Cite web |last=Kubena |first=Brooks |date=March 22, 2019 |title=LSU safety JaCoby Stevens set to be a dangerous pass rusher; 'He plays with a violent attitude' |url=https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/sports/lsu/article_cc33cbc2-4b3b-11e9-a748-2f3c4703765e.html |website=The Advocate}}{{Cite web |last=Guilbeau |first=Glenn |date=August 20, 2019 |title=JaCoby Stevens was the No. 1 prep safety in America, but hasn't been the best one at LSU |url=https://www.theadvertiser.com/story/sports/college/lsu/2019/08/20/lsu-jacoby-stevens-best-safety-america-no-2-lsu/2060565001/ |website=The Daily Advertiser}} In his first full season as a starter, Stevens recorded 85 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss and five sacks with three interceptions and nine passes defended and was named second-team All-Southeastern Conference by the league's coaches and helped LSU win the 2019 National Championship.{{Cite web |date=January 11, 2020 |title=College football championship: LSU DB JaCoby Stevens 3 things to know |url=https://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/high-school/2020/01/11/college-football-championship-lsu-jacoby-stevens-3-things-know/4423144002/ |website=The Tennessean}} After Ja'Marr Chase opted out for the 2020 season, Stevens was selected to wear the #7 jersey, which goes to the biggest playmaker on the team.{{Cite web|title=LSU announces successors of coveted #7 and #18 jerseys for 2020 season|url=https://www.wbrz.com/news/lsu-announces-successors-of-coveted-7-and-18-jerseys-for-2020-season/|access-date=2021-05-02|website=WBRZ|language=en}}
Professional career
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 6
| height in = 1 1/8
| weight = 212
| dash = 4.62
| ten split = 1.68
| twenty split = 2.69
| shuttle =
| cone drill =
| vertical = 42.0
| broad ft = 10
| broad in = 10
| bench =
| arm span = 32 1/4
| hand span = 9 1/8
| wonderlic =
| note = All values from Pro Day{{Cite web |url=https://www.nfl.com/prospects/jacoby-stevens/32005354-4561-4413-4a75-1dc60ec50ada |title=JaCoby Stevens Draft and Combine Prospect Profile |website=NFL.com |access-date=November 18, 2021}}{{Cite web |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=1021693&DraftYear=2021 |title=JaCoby Stevens, LSU, OLB, 2021 NFL Draft Scout, NCAA College Football |website=draftscout.com |access-date=November 18, 2021}}
}}
Stevens was selected in the sixth round with the 224th overall pick of the 2021 NFL draft by the Philadelphia Eagles.{{cite web|title=Eagles draft LB JaCoby Stevens|url=https://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/news/eagles-draft-jacoby-stevens|author=McPherson, Chris|website=PhiladelphiaEagles.com|date=May 1, 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/eagles/eagles-draft-pick-jacoby-stevens-embraces-his-versatility|title=Why JaCoby Stevens won't call himself a linebacker or a safety|first=Reuben|last=Frank|work=NBC Sports Philadelphia|date=May 4, 2021|access-date=May 6, 2021}} He signed his four-year rookie contract with Philadelphia on June 9, 2021, worth $3.6 million.{{Cite web|url=https://www.profootballrumors.com/2021/06/eagles-sign-jacoby-stevens#ref=home|title = Eagles Sign JaCoby Stevens| date=9 June 2021 }} He was waived on August 31, 2021 and re-signed to the practice squad the next day.{{cite web|title=Eagles announce initial 53-man roster|url=https://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/news/eagles-announce-initial-53-man-roster-2021|author=McPherson, Chris|website=PhiladelphiaEagles.com|date=August 31, 2021}}{{cite web|title=Eagles agree to terms with 15 players to join the practice squad|url=https://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/news/eagles-agree-to-terms-2021-practice-squad|website=PhiladelphiaEagles.com|date=September 1, 2021}} On January 2, 2022, Stevens made his NFL debut in the team's week 17 game against the Washington Football Team, collecting a tackle in the 20-16 victory.{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/gamelog/_/id/4242204/jacoby-stevens|title = JaCoby Stevens Game by Game Stats and Performance}} He signed a reserve/future contract with the Eagles on January 18, 2022.{{cite web|title=Eagles sign 11 players to Reserve/Futures contracts|url=https://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/news/eagles-sign-11-players-to-reserve-futures-contracts|author=McPherson, Chris|website=PhiladelphiaEagles.com|date=January 18, 2022}}
On August 30, 2022, Stevens was waived by the Eagles.{{cite web|title=Eagles announce initial 53-man roster|url=https://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/news/eagles-announce-initial-53-man-roster-202|author=McPherson, Chris|website=PhiladelphiaEagles.com|date=August 30, 2022}}{{Dead link|date=June 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
On August 3, 2023, Stevens joined the LSU football coaching staff.{{Cite web |last=Alexander |first=Wilson |date=3 August 2023 |title=A former LSU national championship safety has joined the football coaching staff |url=https://www.nola.com/sports/lsu/former-lsu-safety-jacoby-stevens-joins-coaching-staff/article_db3e5cb4-321c-11ee-8fb5-0f23ef9a9054.html |access-date=2024-10-14 |website=NOLA.com}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://lsusports.net/sports/football/roster/jacoby-stevens/24284 LSU Tigers bio]
- {{commonscatinline}}
{{Eagles2021DraftPicks}}
{{2019 LSU Tigers football navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stevens, JaCoby}}
Category:Philadelphia Eagles players
Category:LSU Tigers football players
Category:American football safeties
Category:Players of American football from Murfreesboro, Tennessee