Shavon Revel’s Journey to the 2025 NFL Draft

Indianapolis, Indiana — Shavon Revel Jr., a 24-year-old cornerback from East Carolina University, closely watched the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft on Thursday night. Revel is projected as a likely first- or second-round pick, which could earn him a four-year rookie contract worth several million dollars.

Revel’s journey to this moment has been anything but straightforward. Four years ago, he worked at an Amazon warehouse in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, while studying at Louisburg College. At that time, he hoped to receive a scholarship to a Division-I college football program, despite struggles with his grades and injuries.

During the summer of 2020, Revel was working alongside his father loading boxes when he learned that the Covid-19 pandemic had canceled his upcoming football season at Louisburg College. “There were a lot of points where I could’ve given up,” Revel told The Athletic. “But I can’t give up on the sport I love.”

In 2021, his father signed him up for college tryout camps, including one at ECU. After a grueling 10-hour shift, Revel attended the tryout, where he impressed coaches with a 4.4-second 40-yard dash and a 39-inch vertical leap. “When I saw him run his 40-yard dash, the coach pretty much chased him down,” said Revel Sr. “I knew it was good news.”

ECU’s coaches offered Revel a scholarship, contingent upon improving his grades. He responded, “That’s all I needed to hear.” After a stellar 2023 season, he became a potential “early first-round” pick according to Pro Football & Sports Network.

Despite receiving offers from larger schools, Revel chose to stay with ECU. “I was going to be true to myself. They weren’t going to buy me,” he said. Last fall, a knee injury cut his final college season short, raising concerns about his draft status.

Projected earnings vary; a mid-round pick could secure a four-year deal worth approximately $18.5 million, while a late second-round selection might earn around $6.8 million. Revel expects to recover fully before the NFL season, as confirmed by his doctor. “You’ve got to move past that,” Revel said. “I wasn’t going to let it drag me down. I hadn’t let anything drag me down my whole life and wasn’t going to start then.”