Former Rocky River DB proves himself in college, makes path to NFL Draft

A football player from Charlotte who was overlooked at first has since proven his talents on the field, and now he’s hoping to hear his name during this year’s NFL Draft.

Channel 9 Sports Reporter DaShawn Brown met with former Rocky River High School standout Jevon McIver Jr about his years of hard work.

“Everybody told me I was crazy for hopping in the transfer portal. Coming out of Lenoir-Rhyne University, I didn’t even start,” McIver told Brown.

It’s only crazy until it works, and McIver put in the work.

“Since I was such a late bloomer, I always thought it was a talent thing, but it was more of a repetition thing, so I was like, ‘OK bet, I know what I can do.’ That was really a confirmation,” McIver said.

With zero college offers coming out of Rocky River High School and during the COVID-19 pandemic, McIver borrowed the money for tuition and walked on at Lenoir Rhyne.

His freshman year, the defensive back didn’t play. After his first full season, he transferred to Austin Peay State University in Tennessee. Then he led the conference and ranked 12th in the country.

“You know, he had positive affirmations all over his room. It was like gold, posters, and vision boards, and everything that was related to football,” said Dr. Lakertisha Slade McIver, Jevon’s mother.

McIver says he planned to return to Austin Peay, but the coaching staff changed. So he entered the portal again.

“It’s crazy because this is real life. I scheduled a meeting with the new Austin Peay coach, I was going to go back, we were going to talk [name, image, likeness licensing], had the flight books and everything, and I just prayed super hard one night, super hard. I just talked to God and asked God like, if you give me any Power Five opportunity, I’m not going to question it, I will just go,” McIver said.

In comes Texas Christian University. They offered him a full-ride scholarship the next day.

“Support your children, whatever you can do. We talk about breaking generational curses in our family so he was the second McIver male to earn a degree -- I’m like that’s legendary son,” Slade McIver said.

“If you have a dream, I would say just chase it man, chase it, really attract it,” McIver said. “For real, give it to God, give it to the higher power and just make it bigger than you and fully submit, you know?”

And even in the midst of traveling and training before the NFL Draft, McIver actually came back to Rocky River High School to host his first football camp.