Escanaba senior Javon Stevenson (middle) signs his letter of intent to play football at Northern Michigan University on Feb. 5, 2025 at Escanaba High School. (“The Big Dog” Mitch Vosburg/Daily Press)

ESCANABA — National Signing Day brings joy, drama and countless other emotions to football fans across the country.

Escanaba had its taste of National Signing Day fun on Wednesday as Javon Stevenson inked his National Letter of Intent to play wide receiver for Northern Michigan University.

“It’s a really close spot to home,” Stevenson said. “I went there on a gameday visit early in the season with a couple of my teammates. They called it home. I called it home. It was a great experience, and it was where I wanted to be.”

Stevenson, a lengthy 6-foot 4 receiver who also played linebacker for the Eskymos, accumulated 295 receiving yards and four touchdowns as a receiver, one of four pass catchers to rack up near 300 receiving yards in an offense which highlighted multiple receivers.

But Stevenson’s strength comes not exclusively from catching passes. He’s also a leader.

With the Eskymos trailing Cadillac 21-13 with under two minutes to go he screamed out “one drive to change everything” before the Orange and black ultimately scored and got the game-tying two-point conversion to force overtime, where the Eskymos went on to win 28-21 over the Vikings.

“Javon has been one of our leaders the last couple of years,” Escanaba football coach Bailey Lamb said. “He’s been a leader, one of those pivotal players that guides how seasons go, how culture gets built. It’s guys like Javon, and Ben Johnson last year, who are kind of laying the foundation to build something special.”

NMU has seen its fair share of struggles. Under current head coach Shane Richardson the Wildcats are winless in 22 games. In fact, NMU hasn’t won a football game since it knocked off Lake Erie College 33-11 on Nov. 11, 2022 and haven’t won a game in the Superior Dome since Sept. 24, 2022, a 42-14 win over Post University.

It’s a gruesome reality Stevenson isn’t a stranger to. During his sophomore and junior seasons the Eskymos earned a total of four wins. In 2024 Esky finished 5-4 and was one of the first teams left on the outside looking in of the MHSAA Division 4 playoff race.

If there’s a human being that can help NMU’s receiver room, it’s Stevenson.

“I think they have a great plan for me,” Stevenson said of his potential role at NMU. “They really showed me that it’s like family at (NMU). I think things are going to go well.”

Outside of football Stevenson plans to study marketing or management, an area Stevenson believes will bring out the lessons he’s learned by being a teammate and a leader.

One thing is left for certain: Stevenson can say he left the Escanaba football program in a better place than he found it.

“He’s one of the most coachable kids I’ve ever had in anything I’ve done.” Lamb said of Stevenson. “He’s filled with leadership and knows how to command a group when he needs to. He’s one of the most selfless players I’ve ever had.”