A transfer wide receiver from Minnesota who started 21 games for the Gophers over the last two seasons and made 45 receptions for 730 yards in that span…spent four seasons at Minnesota and will have one season of eligibility remaining at USF…an Academic All-Big Ten selection (2022, 2021)

2022 (MINNESOTA): Started all 12 games he played in…made 22 catches for 338 yards… rushed one time for three yards…caught three passes for 52 yards against New Mexico State (9/1) in the season opener…posted season highs of six receptions for 73 yards at Michigan State (9/24) …made three receptions against Purdue (10/1) for 53 yards…two catches for 55 yards at Penn State (10/22)…gained 27 yards on three receptions at Nebraska (11/5).

2021 (MINNESOTA): Started nine of 13 games for a 9-4 Gophers team…made 23 receptions for 392 yards and one touchdown…caught two passes for 34 yards against Ohio State (9/2)…caught two passes for 105 yards at Purdue (10/2)… recorded three catches for 58 yards and one touchdown against Nebraska (10/16)…lone catch against Maryland (10/23) went for 35 yards… gained 63 yards on four receptions at Northwestern (10/30)…made four catches for 52 yards at Iowa (11/13).

2020 (MINNESOTA): Played in five games and made four catches for 40 yards and one touchdown… made his first career reception, a 10-yard completion from Tanner Morgan, against Iowa (11/13)…made one catch at Nebraska (12/12)…caught two passes for 29 yards at Wisconsin (12/19), which included his first career touchdown – a nine-yard pass from Tanner Morgan – in the fourth quarter.

2019 (MINNESOTA): Redshirted… did not see game action.

SPRINGFIELD HS: Enrolled at Minnesota in January 2019 after attending Springfield High School in Springfield, Ohio…wore No. 7 for the Wildcats… as a senior, recorded 20 receptions for 267 yards and two touchdowns in a run heavy offense and added 39 rushing attempts for 268 yards…returned four kickoffs for 73 yards and eight punts for 32 yards as he helped lead the team to the regional semifinals…as a junior, made 24 catches for 341 yards and five touchdowns…returned five kickoffs for 134 yards and had two punt returns for 31 yards…coached by Maurice Douglass…consensus three-star recruit and No. 45 ranked recruit in Ohio by ESPN.

PERSONAL: Son of Phyllis Stephens and Tony Williams…has three brothers (Anthony, Izaiah and Zarik) and three sisters (Makenzie, Taylor and Sa’Niya)…related to Braxton Miller (Philadelphia Eagles, Ohio State), Trey Depriest (Alabama) and Mike Davis (Houston Oilers)…is the nephew of artist John Legend…earned his bachelor of science degree in business and marketing education from Minnesota in spring of 2023.

STEPHENS CAREER HIGHS:
Receptions 6 at Michigan State (9/24/22)
Receiving Yards 105 at Purdue (10/2/21)
Long 49 vs. Penn State (10/22/22)
Receiving TD 1 (twice), last vs. Nebraska (10/16/21)

STEPHENS GAME-BY-GAME STATS:
2022: New Mexico State (3-52-0); Western Illinois (3-55-0); Michigan State (6-73-0); Purdue (3-53-0); Penn State (2-55-0); Rutgers (2-23); Nebraska (3-27-0);

2021: Ohio State (2-34-0); Purdue (2-105-0); Nebraska (3-58-1); Maryland (1-35-0); Northwestern (4-63-0); Illinois (3-22-0); Iowa (4-52-0); Indiana (2-10-0); Wisconsin (1-8-0); West Virginia (1-5-0)

2020: Iowa (1-10-0); Nebraska (1-1-0); Wisconsin (2-29-1)

Michael Brown Stephens