One of the best parts of watching college prospects make their way to the NFL Draft each year is following the many amazing stories. There will always be players who it just seems to come easily to, but for every one of those, there are countless others who defied all the odds, overcame challenging circumstances and put in the hard work to raise their draft stock.
One of the best stories in the 2025 NFL Draft is that of East Carolina University’s Shavon Revel Jr.
Revel struggled with his grades and suffered multiple injuries while playing high school football, and he needed some kind of miracle to make his dreams of playing in the NFL come true. After two years at a junior college, he went to ECU’s prospect camp to let the Pirates’ coaches see what they could be missing out on.
Revel wowed the Pirates’ coaches, showing his pro-build highlighted by his rangy athleticism. All of a sudden, his dreams were closer to reality.
Shavon Revel Jr. Shared the Shocking Reason He Didn’t Make Many Interceptions Before 2024
Jordan Reid from ESPN said Revel blew him away at the combine—not just with his work on the field but also with his attitude and effort. He noted that Revel was working overnights at an Amazon warehouse with his father. When they got off work, they made the two-hour drive to ECU, hoping the coaches would see what Revel Sr. saw in young Shavon.
One of the best interviews of any prospect that I met in this years class came from Revel at the Combine. An interesting note, asking him about his lack of ball production and why he struggled to secure INTs prior to 2024.
“I just started wearing contacts last summer.” https://t.co/HLU9myyYNn
— Jordan Reid (@Jordan_Reid) April 3, 2025
“One of the best interviews of any prospect that I met in this year’s class came from Revel at the combine,” wrote Reid in a post on X. An interesting note, asking him about his lack of ball production and why he struggled to secure INTs prior to 2024: “‘I just started wearing contacts last summer,'” Revel told Reid.
ECU gave Revel not only a spot on the team but a scholarship—with the caveat that he improve his grades. He said he never looked back. ECU gave him the shot he was desperate to have.
According to PFSN’s scouting report, Revel is one of the top cornerback prospects for 2025. If the draft falls the way he hopes, he could be ECU’s first first-round pick since Chris Johnson in 2008.
He really began to get the notice of NFL scouts in 2023 and into the start of 2024, thanks to his long arms, insane athletic abilities and his heartwarming success story. Unfortunately, his 2024 season was cut short due to an ACL injury.
In the three games he was able to play in 2024, he dominated the Pirates’ defense. He racked up two interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown.
Revel’s story certainly has fans all over the NFL cheering for his success. It will be interesting to see where he lands and how his skills transition to the next level.