Stephens' Video Causes Some Nervous Moments, but Cowboys the Happy Ones with the Full Version
STILLWATER -- Donovan Stephens worked really hard on his commitment video and the standout linebacker from Del City was anxious to get his announcement up on Twitter. When it went up he was waiting for the reaction and there was plenty of that. The video cut short right before he announced his school.
"My phone started blowing up and I looked and saw everybody was asking where I was going," Stephens said. "My mom came in and told me that Twitter video stopped right before I made my commitment. Twitter cut my video."
Stephens hustled up and within about 10 minutes or so he got up the right version, but we emphasized with that snafu with Twitter, it probably made his commitment one of the most suspenseful of the summer. I told him it might have made some of the Oklahoma State coaches skip a heartbeat.
Stephens laughed a little. The truth of the matter was the Oklahoma State coaches from Mike Gundy to Jim Knowles to Greg Richmond to recruiting director Todd Bradford knew because Stephens had called them.
"He was excited," Stephens said of Gundy. "You know we both live down here close in the 405 (area code) and he told me he was very excited and he was proud of me."
Stephens told me that he was recruited the most by Greg Richmond and Jim Knowles. Richmond is an Oklahoma City native as you can almost see Douglass High School from Del City High School. Richmond coaches defensive line, but at Oklahoma State and in the NFL as a player split time between linebacker and defensive end. Knowles was also heavily involved in the recruiting according to Stephens.
"They made a strong impression on me and my mom," he added.
Stephens has made a strong impression on me as I've watched him. He doubles some and carries the football as a running back for head coach Mike Dunn and his staff at Del City. I saw Stephens in camp in summer of 2019 and really liked what I saw and then on his way to helping Del City to the Class 6A-II State Semifinals he opened the season with a late score and an awesome display of defense against current Oklahoma State freshman running back Dominic Richardson in a win over Bishop McGuinness.
By the end of the season he had 112 total tackles, 16 tackles for loss, four sacks, four interceptions, two fumbles caused, and one recovered. Oh yeah, he had eight carries on offense for 59-yards and three touchdowns.
Then this summer we saw Stephens at the i4Football Camp in July and not only was he running sub 4.4 in the forty, but he was taking reps at corner to cover wide receivers and getting the job done. A linebacker that can cover with cornerback athleticism? That's pretty awesome.
I finished up asking Stephens how he feels he has handled recruiting and preparing for his senior season all through a pandemic.
"It's been okay," he said about recruiting. "I think my team has dealt with it great. We've stayed focused and had a great summer working harder than ever."
That bodes well for the Del City Eagles and getting Stephens bodes really well for Oklahoma State.
