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According to The Draft Network’s Justin Melo, the Indianapolis Colts were among the NFL teams that LSU linebacker/safety JaCoby Stevens “felt he had a great connection with” at this past January’s Senior Bowl:
#LSU LB/S Jacoby Stevens mentioned the #Colts, #Jets, #Bills & #Falcons as teams that he felt he had a great connection with at the @seniorbowl.
— Justin M (@JustinM_NFL) February 13, 2021
The 6’2”, now 216 pound senior hybrid safety recorded 63 tackles (30 solo), 3.0 sacks, 4 passes defensed, 3 fumble recoveries, and a forced fumble during 10 starts in 2020. He was formerly 2nd-Team All-SEC for the National Champion Tigers in 2019.
Here’s some buzz on Stevens:
JaCoby Stevens S/LB #3
— Matt Lane (@ChiefinCarolina) August 26, 2020
++ Thick, powerful lower body
+ Big hitter w/ sound tech
+ Ball tracking & high point skills
++ Downhill vision/angles
+ Box/slot/deep versatility
+ Block deconstruction
- Shorter strider
- Some reps look like a grind to turn an run
Senior Bowl Top 250 pic.twitter.com/ew7vazGAkQ
JaCoby Stevens, LSU - #7, 6'2" 230 pounds
— Craig Stout (@barleyhop) January 8, 2021
- Earned a "playmaker" number at LSU
- Lines up at LB, EDGE, in the slot, and at deep safety
- Big hitter with good explosion to fill the gap in the box
- Strong route ID from deep
- Good footwork to pedal out and stay over the top pic.twitter.com/9fmlVfG4tZ
LSU DB JaCoby Stevens is a safety who plays slot.. and plays outside.. and plays ILB.. and plays EDGE..
— Zach Hicks (@ZachHicks2) December 19, 2020
He is super fun. I don't know where his ultimate fit is in the NFL but he is a damn good player. pic.twitter.com/hCrK3CVgSn
Working on my pre-Senior Bowl research and this safety class in Mobile is LOADED.
— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) January 17, 2021
Sleeper - Joshuah Bledsoe, Missouri
Stud - Jacoby Stevens, LSU
Jacoby Stevens (@jacobystevens7) had one of the "woooooo" plays yesterday when he picked off Mac Jones while he was spying. #LSU @LSUfootball #SeniorBowl pic.twitter.com/pNZjKdatpK
— Scott Kennedy (@ScoutKennedy) January 29, 2021
JaCoby Stevens snared a one-handed INT wearing the same number OBJ did at LSU
— The Checkdown (@thecheckdown) October 19, 2019
(via @CBSSports)pic.twitter.com/zzce9iTsLK
Huge hit from Jacoby Stevens pic.twitter.com/que2lwWo6Q
— Yahoo Sports College Football (@YahooSportsCFB) January 14, 2020
StampedeBlue’s own Zach Hicks interviewed Stevens last week.
The Colts have core starting defenders at both safety (Khari Willis and Julian Blackmon) and linebacker (Darius Leonard and Bobby Okereke), but the team could utilize a 3rd hybrid safety to deploy in obvious passing situations at linebacker and maybe even full-time for extra speed, athleticism, and coverage skills at the position—as starting linebacker Anthony Walker is a soon-to-be free agent.
Stevens seems better ‘in-the-box’ at safety and could very well be an outside linebacker at the next level in the Colts ‘Cover 2’ derivative defense—having played at a listed 230 pounds for LSU.
He’s an intriguing defensive prospect to watch for Indianapolis given the Colts’ reported interest already and his overall versatility as a defender at the next level.