Jets' Brandon Stephens says switch to cornerback was 'my calling'
Jets cornerback Brandon Stephens talks with reporters during practice on July 24 in Florham Park, N.J. Credit: Noah K. Murray
Jets cornerback Brandon Stephens is preparing for the football to be thrown to his side of the field often, and not just because teams would rather test him than Sauce Gardner.
Stephens converted from running back to cornerback in 2019 and didn’t feel fully comfortable playing the position until about two years ago. He knows what’s coming and he’s ready for the challenge.
“I’m definitely excited about it,” he said. “We have a great corner on the other side in Sauce. If you know my history, if I was an OC [offensive coordinator] and someone had my history and is fairly new to the position, I would throw at him, too.”
Stephens, who was one of many projected Jets starters who didn’t play in Friday’s preseason finale against Philadelphia, spent his first four NFL seasons with Baltimore. He became a full-time starter in 2023.
The Jets gave Stephens a three-year, $36 million contract to replace D.J. Reed, who signed with Detroit. Playing for Aaron Glenn was a big reason Stephens left Baltimore for the Jets.
“I wanted to be a part of the change here in New York,” Stephens said.
Glenn liked Stephens’ size (6-1, 215), physicality and overall coverage skills. He hasn’t disappointed this summer.
Stephens played tight coverage and made plays throughout practice and the preseason, including picking off Justin Fields on the last day of training camp. Glenn called Stephens “one of our most improved players” from the start of OTAs.
“Just the way he’s going out and operating, and his mentality coming out into practice every day is unbelievable,” Glenn said. “It’s contagious with the other guys, too.
“Any time that you have a corner on the opposite side of a really good corner, man, they start to push each other. So I think he’s pushing Sauce on his coverage ability, too. You want that with your teammates.”
Stephens, 27, has said he thinks he and Gardner could be “the best cornerback duo in the league.”
Stephens has come a long way from when he was taking handoffs at UCLA. During his junior season, he decided he wanted to move to cornerback. He played it some in high school and believed it was the best way for him to make it to the NFL.
Stephens transferred from UCLA to SMU, where he played cornerback for two seasons. SMU gave him the opportunity that UCLA wouldn’t, and Stephens was drafted in the third round in 2021 by the Ravens.
“I took it, ran with it and the rest is history,” he said. “I always had a love for the position. I just wanted to get back to it. I felt like that’s where my calling was to play football and eventually get here.”
Stephens said he didn’t know how to tackle when he initially made the position change. He relied on his athleticism in his two seasons at SMU and his first two with the Ravens. Stephens played safety as a rookie and multiple positions in the secondary in Year 2.
In 2023, playing opposite Marlon Humphrey, Stephens was the third-most-targeted cornerback, according to Pro Football Focus (PFF), which gave him a good coverage grade. Last year, PFF said Stephens gave up the second-most receiving yards and was tied for the most touchdowns allowed and graded him 153 out of 223 cornerbacks.
When Glenn reviewed the video of last season, he thought Stephens’ coverage was fine, but he needed to get his head around to make a play on the football.
The Jets have been working on Stephens’ overall technique and being in better position to see the ball. “One thing I didn’t know was how good his footwork was,” defensive backs coach Chris Harris said. “He moves like he is a smaller guy. He is going in the right direction. Pleased we got him. I think he’s going to make plenty of plays for us.”
Stephens has two career interceptions. Glenn said the Jets will continue to work with him getting his hands on the football and are confident he will generate takeaways.
“He’s a damn good player,” Glenn said, “and I’m glad we have him.”
Jets’ rally falls short. Quarterback Adrian Martinez led two fourth-quarter touchdown drives and ran in a two-point conversion in a 19-17 loss to the Eagles. The Jets, who trailed 19-3, got within two on Donovan Edwards’ 1-yard touchdown run with 3:07 left.
Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.
