2012: Made a career-high 13 tackles, 11 solo, and picked off his first career pass while playing in 10 games as a senior. Saw action on nearly every Huskie special teams unit and as a reserve safety. Returned his first career interception 17 yards against UMass (11-3). Also recorded a career-high six tackles against the Minutemen in extensive action at safety. Posted three solo stops against Buffalo (10-13). Collected one tackle each against Iowa (9-1), Akron (10-20), Western Michigan (10-27) and Toledo (11-14) on special teams. Missed four games in September due to injury.
2011: Posted four tackles in six games at safety and on special teams before missing the rest of the season with a knee injury. Returned a blocked punt 16 yards for a touchdown against Army (9-3) to ignite the Huskies early. Added one solo stop against the Black Knights. Recorded a season-best two tackles against Wisconsin (9-17). Made one tackle versus Kent State (10-8). Earned Special Teams Player of the Week honors against Cal Poly (9-24) and Central Michigan (10-1).
2010: Sat out the season and made his mark on the "work" team after transferring from Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. Earned work team player of the week recognition for the Toledo (11-9) game.
Prior to NIU: Played two seasons as a starting safety at Wilfrid Laurier University in Canada. Selected second team All-Canadian as a sophomore in 2008 when he was also a first team All Ontario University Athletics Conference. Made 59 tackles, with 46 solo, forced two fumbles, recovered three and broke up five passes his sophomore season. Also intercepted two passes for the 7-3 Golden Hawks, who boasted the No. 5 overall defense in the country. WLU was the only team to beat the eventual national champions that year. As a freshman, recorded 54 tackles, 35 solo, broke up nine passes and picked off five en route to second team all-conference and Rookie of the Year honors.
High School: Two-year letterwinner in football for Turner Fenton Secondary School who was named to the Toronto All-Star Football team as a senior. Served as team captain in football his junior and senior years. Played free safety, quarterback, and punt returner. Scored six rushing touchdowns in six games and picked off six passes. Also scored on a punt return and caught a TD pass. Blocked a punt and forced a pair of fumbles. Named MVP of his high school team four times, including twice in football (as a junior and as a senior) and as a sophomore basketball player. His team compiled a 5-1 record his senior season.
Personal: Son of Bertha and George Stephen. Majoring in psychology. Victory Scholar with a 3.77 GPA. Selected with the first pick in the second round (eighth overall) of the 2012 Canadian Football League Draft by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. His older brother, Patrick, was a four-time letterman and three-time Academic All-American at NIU from 1995-98 who earned a National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete Award in 1998.
