Ravens sign third-round pick Brandon Stephens, finalizing draft class
The Ravens finalized their NFL draft class Wednesday, signing third-round pick Brandon Stephens.
Stephens, a defensive back from Southern Methodist who was taken No. 104 overall, reported to training camp Tuesday and became the last of the team’s eight draft picks to sign his rookie contract. Fellow third-round pick Ben Cleveland signed Tuesday.
Stephens started his career at UCLA as a running back before transferring to SMU in 2019, where he played mostly cornerback. He led the American Athletic Conference with 10 passes defended and had an interception last year. He lined up at safety in the Ravens’ offseason workouts and could push for defensive snaps in obvious passing situations.
“He’s a big, physical, athletic kid who got his hands on a lot of balls,” Ravens director of player personnel Joe Hortiz said after the team drafted Stephens. “And [we] really just see a lot of raw talent, and you really saw him get better throughout the season if you watch his games in chronological order. So he’s a guy who gained steam through the process [and] put together a good pro day. … He just kept stacking good exposures on top of each other and made his way to us.”
Stephens’ four-year deal is worth about $4.8 million.
