Joey Porter Jr’s cousin on Steelers radar as draft prospect

PITTSBURGH — The Steelers seem to love football bloodlines, and there could be an early 2024 connection for the team to look into already. Meet Ferris State cornerback Shon Stephens, who has a connection to Pittsburgh. He is the cousin of rookie Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr.

Stephens has had a whirlwind NCAA career. Partially, by the fact that he simply did not play from 2019 to 2021. Twice he was supposed to transfer to the FBS level, both to Power 5 teams. First, it would have been to Penn State in 2021 as a walk-on. Then, this past portal season, it would have been to Purdue to play for Ryan Walters. Yet, the NCAA denied him immediate eligibility the first time and rejected his hardship waiver this time around.

The hardship waiver was based on the fact that Stephens stayed behind to help his mother, who had fallen ill during the three years he did not play. At Penn State, his degree progress was not far enough along, either, but he graduated in 2022 from West Liberty. Hoping to gain the extra year of eligibility, Stephens hoped the NCAA would be more lenient on his situation, but they were not.