3-Star OLB/DE Jabreel Stephens Commits To Louisville

Chris PersonOctober 5, 2016

Armwood high school standout, Jabreel Stephens, has announced his commitment to Louisville. Rated a 3-star prospect and the #42 weakside defensive end in his class by 247Sports, the 6’5″ 225lb Stephens can play both linebacker as well as line up on the defensive line with the staff envisioning him in a role similar to that of Devonte Fields or James Hearns.

Stephens is the 21st commitment in Louisville’s class of 2017, and the 3rd in the class from the state of Florida. Besides Louisville, Stephens had been hearing from schools such as USF, UK, Ole Miss, Florida St., and Florida.

“I chose [Louisville] because they were showing the most interest in me, and I really liked my visit” Stephens said. While on his visit Stephens said that the most impressive thing to him was how much time the coaches spent with just him alone. Another factor has been his recruiting coach, Coach Nick Petrino “I talk to Nick at least 2 or 3 times a week” Stephens remarked.

So has any of Louisville’s recent success played a part in Stephens choosing Louisville? “They were already my top school but yeah, I like the energy they bring on game day.”

Taking My Talents To The Ville #BirdGang17🐔 pic.twitter.com/Hm3RF0Ml5s

— Jabreel Stephens® (@CampaignJay_813) October 5, 2016

Highlights:

Evaluation:

Jabreel Stephens is an athlete, plain and simple and it can be seen even in a very short highlight reel. Whether it is knocking down passes, rushing the QB, stuffing the run, or running a route and going up to make a catch as a wide receiver, Stephens moves incredibly well for someone of his size and is very versatile. While he has been recruited as an OLB/DE pass rusher, one of the things that stands out to my most on film is how physical he is in run support, using his leverage and shedding blockers in order to get to the ball carrier. Along with this, his long arms and quick instincts allow Stephens to time throws in order to knock down passes at the line of scrimmage. Although Stephens may not be the highest rated recruit from a scouting service point of view, he was at the top of the staff’s recruiting board for a reason and has the potential to be an exceptional player at Louisville.