LSU's JaCoby Stevens Puts NFL Teams On Notice With Impressive Display of Athletic Traits
JaCoby Stevens doesn’t know what he is at the NFL level but he feels he has the versatility to play any position. Whether it’s linebacker or safety, Stevens has spoken with a variety of NFL teams who want to use him in multiple ways within a defense.
But he needed a dominant showing in today’s LSU Pro Day to answer many questions involving his NFL readiness. With NFL scouts questioning his weight at the safety position and athleticism to play at the next level, Stevens suppressed any outside noise with a strong Pro Day today in Baton Rouge.
Weighing in at 212 pounds, Stevens looked the part for anyone questioning his size and came in a little over 6-foot-1. After taking other measurements including his 76 ½ wing-span and 32 ¼ arm length, Stevens dominated his testing.
Recording an impressive 42” vertical with a 10-feet, 10-inch broad jump, Stevens showed NFL scouts his pure athleticism is ready for the next level.
“Coming out here I feel like I answered those questions with the vertical and the broad (jump) and the 40,” Stevens said after his Pro Day. “One thing my agent got back from scouts is that they know I’m a really good football player, they just want to know how good of an athlete I am… I think I answered a lot of those questions.”
Stevens versatility on the football field in unteachable as he can play any position asked of him. As a freshman, he took snaps at wide receiver as well as safety, but coming into his sophomore campaign, he moved strictly to safety. Stevens prides himself on his ability to play any position necessary to win games.
“I don’t have a specific position I prefer over the other. I’m willing to play anything, especially to help the team win,” said Stevens.
Participating in this year’s Senior Bowl, Stevens had the chance to learn from NFL personnel and gain feedback on what he needed to show out on Pro Day. With some of the best coaches in the world and NFL scouts watching over his every move, it gave Stevens a taste of what was in store in a professional atmosphere.
“I come from LSU and it’s the closest thing to the NFL, but it’s not the NFL. Being able to be coached by NFL coaches and play under NFL rules, you learn so much and you retain so much information,” said Stevens on his Senior Bowl experience.
Projected as a Day 3 selection by most in this year’s NFL draft, Stevens’ dominant Pro Day shined light on how big of a steal he can be if selected in the back end of the NFL Draft. His athleticism and ability to play any position on the field is an unteachable trait which should help boost his draft stock.
“If I’m drafted to a team and they asked me to play a linebacker, hybrid position, they know I can do that because playing DB is one of the hardest positions to play on the football field,” Stevens said. “So if I can turn my hips and come off my break just as good as any other DB on the field, I definitely can play any of those other positions.”
